Badass
by HBCarolyn
Summary: AU. In which Maura Isles is a cyborg. Last chapter is posted. Thanks to all who read and reviewed.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The usual applies. Not mine. **

Badass

Chapter One

Laura Ross stepped back and inspected her handiwork. _She is beautiful,_ she thought. As an artist Laura was extremely critical of her own work but this time she knew she hit one out of the park, as her older brother Sammy might say.

"She needs a name, Laura," Todd said. Laura looked up and smiled.

"I have one all picked out," she answered. As the model on the table began to blink her eyes Laura assisted her in sitting up.

"Todd Thayer, meet Maura Isles," Laura said.

Detective Jane Rizzoli lost her suspect in the myriad garbage cans and piles of garbage stinking up the back of the apartment building. _This does not happen to me, _she thought in frustration. _If the damn city doesn't negotiate a contract with the sanitation workers soon, the city of Boston is going to drown in its own excrement._ She sighed then began picking her way through to the back door she saw the man run into. A serial murdered stalking women throughout Boston, Jane wanted to bring this one in today. Today, today, today, became her mantra as she held her breath and hoped to find the suspect before she found another body.

"My God, Laura, she's your masterpiece," Todd said, admiring the newest model as she sat up and looked around the operating room.

"It doesn't hurt to be both doctor and artist," Laura smiled. "Although when my parents refused to pay for art courses until I committed myself to studying medicine I almost rebelled."

"Good thing for us you didn't," Todd said. He was director of the Cyborg Institute and Maura Isles was their greatest creation yet. Other cyborgs had been successful, bringing the Institute a lot of acclaim but also a lot of criticism. Technology developed at a fast enough pace, however, to assist the Institute in making better models available quickly. One model's flaws could be virtually erased in the newer editions. Hence, Maura Isles was now their top of the line model, in looks as well as intelligence and overall capabilities.

"Does she have a home, Todd?"

"We have bids from Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago. All of the bids are so close in price we can pick any one of them. Do you have a favorite?" Todd smiled at Laura. He knew her answer already or at least suspected it. Laura was a native of Boston and a lover of the Red Sox. He couldn't see her sending her best creation yet to any other city, certainly not one that was the home of the Angels, Rangers, White Sox or any other American League team that rivaled the Sox.

"Boston," Laura said promptly. Todd laughed. He loved Laura like no other woman in his life but Laura turned away his advances. She was wrapped up in her work and wanted no other distractions in her life. He kept hoping to change her mind someday. As a colleague Laura was a professional in a class all her own. Todd worked with her to pick up on her skills and in this she constantly amazed him. Each time they worked together Todd learned something new.

"Boston it is," he answered.

"What will she do there?" Laura asked. Todd hesitated.

"She will be the new chief medical examiner for Boston PD. Is that okay?" he asked gently. Laura was a pacifist and never wanted any of her creations bred for taking another life.

Laura nodded. "I like that. She can assist the police in their investigations with her scientific memory and skills. She is also an M.D., I might add."

"That's what they requested. How did you manage to get her programmed so quickly and completely, Laura?"

"You know technology, Todd. I uploaded all of the materials and skills taught in medical school. I have her assisting in an autopsy this afternoon with the local constabulary. I'll be there with her."

"Are you my mother?" Maura asked.

"She does speak," Todd said. He smiled at Maura.

"Hello, Maura. I'm Todd and this is Laura. We assisted in bringing you back to life as a cyborg but you have no mother." Maura blinked her eyes and looked once again at Laura.

"You're not my mother?" she asked in confusion.

"No, but you're a doctor. Is that okay with you, Maura?"

"I've always been interested in helping others. What about other family members? Let me access my life history module and I can answer my own questions." Maura dipped her head down as if she were concentrating very hard. After a few minutes she brought her head back up and blinked, nodding and smiling.

"Yes, I see. I was adopted as an infant and raised by Richard and Constance Isles. I attended medical school at Harvard University, in Boston, Massachusetts. Do I like the Red Sox or the Patriots?"

"Both but not as a fan, Maura. You don't have time to follow sports."

"Bummer." Todd laughed.

"I see you gave her a little of Sammy's personality and vocabulary," Todd said.

"Not intentionally. I was thinking of a conversation with him when I programmed Maura. Let me see, I'll reprogram that word out of her."

"No more bummers?" Maura pouted.

"No, Maura. You're a sophisticated, cultured, intelligent woman. You can't run around saying 'bummer.' You'll get thrown out of the Newport Rhode Island set if you do," Laura grinned.

"That's not good," Maura said. She blinked again then nodded at Laura.

"Are you my mother?" she asked. Laura frowned.

"Is there a problem, Laura?"

"Every time her brain reboots she blinks her eyes and asks if I'm her mother. I'll have to work on her a little more, Todd. There must be a short in her wiring. I can't have her look at a female cop and ask her if she's Maura's mother."

"That might produce an interesting conversation, though."

"Too interesting, I should think." Laura gently pushed Maura back down on the table.

"You'll feel a little pinch Maura then you're going to take a short nap."

"Nighty nite," Maura said and closed her eyes.

Jane and Frost searched every inch of the old apartment building with no success. Standing in front of the building Jane holstered her weapon and looked at Frost.

"You didn't see anyone come out the front, Frost?" she asked for the third time.

"No, Jane. Like I said I've been here the whole time and no one came out the front. He's still in there."

"He must be locked in one of the apartments acting like he's Mr. Brady. We need backup and probably the SWAT team."

"Done. I'll call it in." Jane stood, sweeping her eyes over the windows of the multi-floor apartment building. Nothing looked any different than when she changed their suspect into the back of the building. No one peeked out the front of their window, no one opened a window to see what was going on.

"Frost," Jane called suddenly.

"SWAT's on it's way, Jane," Frost stood next to his partner.

"He's a resident of the building, Frost, or else he's used it before. No one is questioning who we're after or what we're doing here."

"This neighborhood isn't very pro-law enforcement, Jane. Too many drug addicts and petty criminals live in this area."

"Still, no one is curious. They didn't question a strange man running into the building. Let's see about search warrants, Frost."

"I'll see what I can do, Jane."

Three hours later the SWAT team packed up their gear and left the premises. Jane had what she felt could become a permanent scowl on her face. Frost felt her frustration. Everyone in the building checked out and no one matching their suspect's description could be found.

"What now, Jane?" Frost asked. Jane turned to look at him.

"I'm going back to work, Frost. I want to talk to the assistant medical examiner, see if he's made any progress in getting new evidence off the latest victim."

"I'll go with you."

"I'll be happy when we get a new medical examiner," Jane said. "Cubby's a crappy examiner, misses too much on the initial exam and we lose valuable time and evidence, Frost. Cavanaugh say anything about the new m.e.?"

"Just that she's on her way, Jane, should be here by next week."  
>"Thank God. Hope she's smarter than Cubby."<p>

"A ham sandwich is smarter than Cubby, Jane."  
>"Speaking of lunch, let's hit the Robber on the way back. I'm starving." <p>

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Maura stood on the small platform and looked upward. The wires were almost impossible to see but she was confident they would hold her weight. She nodded her head and Maura slowly began to rise in the air. As she cleared the platform she pushed her arms out for balance and kicked her feet up. She began cruising the room at an altitude of six feet, six inches. After two minutes of getting acclimated to being airborne Maura returned to the platform. She grinned. She might enjoy this, after all.

Off to the side Laura smiled at Todd. "Looks like Dr. Isles is taking to this cyborg stuff rather easily," Todd said. Laura nodded.

"Come on Cubby, get us something we can use," Jane paced the autopsy room, scowling at Dr. Francis Cuthbert, Cubby to his coworkers.

"Detective, if it isn't there I can't manufacture it out of thin air. Sometimes Detective I think you resent me because I'm a male."

"No, I resent you because you're a—" Jane felt Korsak's arms around her and Vince's voice filled the room.

"Come on, Jane, let's go back upstairs. Maybe if Cubby had some peace and quiet he can concentrate better and find more evidence," Vince threw the last comment over his shoulder at the older doctor. Cubby was two weeks away from retirement and all of them couldn't wait.

"I hope the new m.e. is better than Cubby," Jane commented once in the elevator. "Thanks for saving me, Korsak. I know Cubby's eyesight isn't what it used to be, but come on. We have a serial killer on the loose. I want to catch this guy."

"Patience, Jane. Cavanaugh said the new m.e. is due by the end of the week. She'll spend a week with Cubby then be on her own."

Jane glared at Korsak. He threw up his arms. "I know, I know. Hopefully no more homicides until then. But what are the odds, Jane?"

"The odds are Korsak, we'll be bringing dead women in by the bucketfuls until he gets out of here. Why can't the new medical examiner take over now?"

"I agree, Jane. Let's just concentrate as best we can. Maybe something will happen and Cubby will find something we can use."

"This is enjoyable," Maura called out. She was on her sixth tour of the lab, once again suspended from the ceiling by invisible cables. This time Laura asked her to use the cable suspended in the palms of her hands to lasso a beaker full of water.

"I want to see if she can do the more delicate tasks," Laura explained to Todd. They watched together as Maura hovered above the lab table, flicking her wrist to release the cable in her palm. Unfortunately she used a little too much force and the beaker was smashed into small pieces.

"Sorry. I don't seem to feel how powerful these cables are, so I can't gauge the correct amount of force to use."

"Don't worry, Maura, you'll get it," Todd called out encouragement. He looked at Laura.

"Spiderman cables in her palms?" he asked.

"Yes, she is equipped with all kinds of tools and mechanisms. Ideally the Maura2012 can be sent into any situation and be able to pull off any maneuver. I was thinking specifically of CIA missions a la Mission Impossible when I designed her."

"Nice. But does the Boston PD need all of this?"

"Probably not but it gives us options for other models. If the Maura2012 can handle virtually any kind of mission successfully we can custom make to the client's request. She'll become more cost effective yet quite efficient at doing her job."

"I got it, I got it!" Maura cried out. She held up a beaker of water while remaining suspended above the lab table.

"Great, Maura. Now retract your cables and see if you can land on your platform without spilling anything."

"Is she scheduled to perform an autopsy, Laura?"

"Yes, this afternoon. I had to reschedule from earlier since I needed to reprogram her."

"No more 'are you my mother' questions?" Todd grinned.

"Hopefully not."

Laura watched as Maura laid out her autopsy tools in precise order. Maura donned the goggles and face shield and went to work. Turning on the recorder Maura listed her name, date, time of the autopsy, the victim's name and coroner office ID number. Then making her first Y-incision Maura opened the victim's chest and began the autopsy. Laura noted the precision Maura used in handling the various instruments and the care given in handling the victim's remains. Laura knew Maura had the right sensitivity for the job in Boston. She sent Todd the text he was waiting for: 'set Maura up in Boston. She's good to go.' Todd gathered the necessary papers for Maura, including a birth certificate noting that Maura was born in the south of France to American parents Constance and Richard Isles on May 17, 1973. He instructed his secretary to rent an apartment for Maura in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Boston. Two hours later he answered Laura's text and Maura Isles boarded a plane bound for Logan Airport.

Jane walked up the precinct steps in a better mood than she had been in for days. Balancing three coffee cups she entered the lobby, grinned at the uniform on desk duty and was buzzed through to the bullpen. Setting one cup on Frost's desk, the other on Korsak's she grinned widely.

"Today's the day, gentlemen. We get a new m.e. today and hopefully answers to our questions about the serial killer." Frost raised his cup in a toast to Jane and drank deeply. Korsak did the same.

"I think we've been lucky there hasn't been another body found over these last couple days," Korsak remarked.

"I agree. Anyone seen the new m.e.?" Jane asked. Frost stood and looked behind Jane.

"I think she's here, Jane," he managed to say while he looked at the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Jane turned around.

"You're the new medical examiner?" she asked in confusion. A beautiful woman flashed a quick smile and extended her hand.

"Dr. Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner for the City of Boston," she replied. Jane returned the handshake, barely managing to introduce herself.

"Detective Jane Rizzoli," she squeaked out while thinking, _holy shit! Is she for real? _Jane's attitude began to turn to anger. _How the hell does Cavanaugh expect a woman like this to be able to help us catch bad guys? _

Maura watched Jane Rizzoli. She noted the widening of her eyes as they introduced themselves, then Jane's pupils began to narrow. Maura studied her, puzzled. _Why is she angry with me? _Maura thought. _I haven't even handled a case for her yet. _An older portly gentleman walked up to Maura's right side.

"Hello, Dr. Isles. Welcome to Boston PD. I'm Sergeant Detective Vince Korsak."

"Wonderful to meet you, Sergeant Korsak. Thank you for the nice welcome." Maura sighed with relief. At least not all of them appear to wander around angry. A younger man stood and held out his hand.

"I'm Detective Barry Frost. Welcome. We hope you like it here." Maura shook Frost's hand and smiled at him. _Excellent skin tone, beautiful brown eyes. I wonder if he has any children, _Maura mused.

"I am Lt. Cavanaugh," another man walked up and introduced himself to Maura.

"He's our boss," a somewhat less angry Jane contributed.

"Yes and I was going to ask you to join me in my office while I go over some introductory comments but a call just came into dispatch. Rizzoli, Frost, a body has been found on the west side of the park. Dr. Isles, would you care to accompany the detectives and see how we handle fieldwork here in Boston?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, I would. Let me get my bag," Maura answered. Jane frowned. _Is she unhappy that I'm going with them on this call? Why is she upset with me?_

"Dr. Isles we'll meet outside and take my car," Frost said.

"Just as I thought," Jane fumed when she saw the body. An unclothed woman, approximately 25-30 years of age and undeniably dead, lie face up with open unseeing eyes. Yellow police tape cordoned off the area and various uniformed personnel guarded the area and scrounged for evidence. The CSR unit pulled up in a van and parked behind Frost's car.

"Did you have advance notice of this body, Detective?" Maura asked, puzzled.

"No, we've had a string of murders that match the same type of victim and MO," Jane answered harshly. She then turned and looked at Dr. Isles a little more closely. Maura noted once again the thinning of the pupils and the rage that seemed to live there.

Suddenly Jane calmed down.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Isles, I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. This is the sixth body we've found in the past two weeks. A couple of days ago my partner and I chased a suspect into a large apartment building near downtown Boston then lost him. I'm pretty sure he's our suspect, or at least a POI but we failed to bring him in."

"POI?"

"Person of interest. That's what we call someone we think may be a suspect or linked to a homicide in some manner. We call them that so if they turn out to not be a suspect we don't get tagged with a lawsuit for defamation of character."

"I see. I must admit, Detective Rizzoli, when I met you I thought you were angry at me for some reason." Jane flushed.

"I was but not for the reason you suspect, Dr. Isles. We have a medical examiner who's retiring soon. We've been at odds recently over his ability to do his job. I keep thinking he's missing crucial evidence when he does the autopsies and I can't get him to listen to reason. I was happy when I found out we had a new m.e. coming in."

"And I didn't fit the profile of what you were expecting?" Maura prompted. Jane flushed again.

"You caught me. No, I took one look at you and saw anyone but a viable medical examiner."

"Let me prove myself, Detective. You may be happy with the results," Maura said lightly.

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Maura turned to crouch over the body. "Where's Dr. Cuthbert? I thought he'd be here to show me the lines."

"The ropes, Dr. Isles. He'll be here soon, he's always late to the crime scene," Frost said. Jane scanned the area to get her bearings and see if any witnesses were hanging around. A lot of the time, she knew a suspect might stay in the area until the police arrived to get a thrill out of the attention he was causing.

Noticing the restrooms in the distance she saw a heavy set man round the corner behind the men's room. Something about his build seemed familiar.

"Frost! The men's room!"

"I don't need to go, Jane."

"No, Frost, our suspect from the building!" Jane yelled and took off. Frost gave chase. He ran into the men's room as Jane ran around the back. She saw the suspect cross the street on foot and enter the apartment building. "Frost! Across the street!"

Maura watched the detectives give foot chase. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dr. Cuthbert giving his ID number to the uniform guarding the scene. She made a quick decision.

Walking off to the side so as to not be noticed she took the long way around the back of the restroom and gave chase behind Jane and Frost. As they ran in the front of the apartment building she stopped at the side.

Quickly glancing down at her dress she tugged the skirt until it was completely tucked between her legs. She backed up then gave a running leap at the side of the building and released her hand cables at a window on the third floor. Scaling the side of the building Maura listened for Jane's and Frost's calls to each other. Tracking from the outside she found an open window six lengths over and glanced inside.

A heavyset man, breathing heavily, closed the front door of the apartment and collapsed into an easy chair. The television set was on, set to a game show. An elderly woman sat on the sofa watching the game show. She didn't seem to notice the man who entered her apartment.

Maura listened for Jane and Frost. Their voices seemed to be fading away.

_They must be on the other side of the building, _Maura thought. She hoisted herself into the open window and sat on the ledge.

"Get chased much?" she said to the man in the chair. He leaped up, surprised to find someone in his window.

"You a cop?" He yelled. Maura shook her head.

"No, just your worst nightmare," she quipped. Leaning back out the window she turned her head to her left. Dropping her head Maura worked to imitate Frost's voice.

"Hey, Jane, over here! He went into apartment 6E!"

"Got it, Frost!" Maura heard Jane reply. Slipping back out the window Maura huddled underneath the ledge. She heard the front door crash open and Jane yell out "Boston Police!" She dropped to the ground and straightening out her skirt, returned to the body.

Dr. Cuthbert looked up as he saw Maura approach. "Dr. Isles, I thought you'd be here already," he chastised her.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cuthbert. Mother Nature called."

"That's not appropriate at a crime scene, Dr. Isles. You need to be more professional if you're going to succeed as chief medical examiner."

"It won't happen again," Maura answered.

"Grab an evidence bag and I'll show you what Detective Rizzoli is hoping you'll find each and every time."

"Yes, Dr. Cuthbert."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Maura lifted the body out of the body bag and placed it on the autopsy table. Her instruments were laid out in order on the tray beside her. Carefully removing the clothing and tagging it in evidence bags Maura felt ready to begin the autopsy. As Laura taught her she took the scalpel and started the y-incision, dictating her every move into the recorder. She would transcribe the notes later. She never looked up and so did not notice Jane Rizzoli watching her from the morgue doors.

Jane returned to the bullpen, occupied equally by her thoughts about the new medical examiner and the ongoing serial murder case everyone was focused on. The suspect taunted them in the interrogation room, never admitting any connection to the case but teasing Jane that she wasn't 'man enough' to be able to close the case. Despite chasing the man from the scene she knew the evidence was circumstantial at best unless Dr. Isles found something from the victim that tied their suspect to the string of serial murderers. Jane headed back into the interrogation room fervently praying Dr. Isles was a better medical examiner than Cubby had been.

She sat back down across from the suspect. He looked up from the table and gave Jane a sly smile.

"Back for more, Detective?" he asked. Jane looked across the table at the scumbag sitting there. Her gut told her he was their murderer.

"My partner and I chased you into an apartment building in downtown Boston the other day. Where did you go?"

"I don't know. I don't live downtown. I have a palatial estate on the bay," the suspect sneered.

"No, you don't. You're an unemployed garbage collector. You were fired before the city stalled its talks with your former employer. Try again."

The suspect watched Jane and smiled at her again. Jane remained seated, leaning forward, eyes intent on the suspect's every move.

"Maybe I inherited boatloads of money," the suspect roared with laughter at a joke only he knew.

"Uh huh. That's why you're dressed in the same clothes we saw you in the other day. Smells like you haven't bathed either."

"Some days I dress up other days I don't. Your move, Detective."

"This isn't a chess match."

"Seems like a game to me."

"Where were you at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday last?"

"I don't know. I'd have to check my schedule."

Jane felt frustrated but worked to keep it from the suspect. She was determined to break him down into several little pieces if necessary. Suddenly there was a knock on the interrogation room door and Maura opened it.

"Detective I have a question for you regarding some fibers found on the latest victim." Curious as to who entered the room the suspect twisted around in his chair at the sound of another woman's voice. His eyes went big when he recognized Maura. She glanced his way but gave no sign of recognition.

The suspect turned back around and stared down at the table. Jane noticed his reaction to Maura. She got up and followed the m.e. into the hallway.

"Dr. Isles, have you seen our suspect before? You don't know him, do you?"

"Of course not, Detective."

"He had a strange reaction to you just then. Are you sure you haven't seen him somewhere?"

"No. The fibers I found on the latest victim are consistent with carpet fibers taken from the suspect's apartment. I wanted you to know as soon as possible. I hope that's okay."

"Yes, of course it is, Dr. Isles. Thank you for this. It looks like we finally have our suspect." Jane took the folder Maura held out to her and opened it. The reports were conclusive. She snapped the folder shut with a smile and re-entered the interrogation room.

The suspect was waiting for Jane to come back in. The minute she entered the room he held up his hands and started talking.

"Hey, listen, I don't know who she is but keep her away for me all right?"

"Who?" Jane asked.

"That woman that just poked her head in here. She's freaky. Look, I was in the park this morning, I'll admit that, but that woman is crazy, man. She appeared outside my apartment window before you broke down the door."

"Your name is Chester Paul, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, Mr. Paul, we will be charging you with first degree murder in the deaths of several women; the final number is up to the DA's office. Frost, have one of the uniforms come in and take this scum to his cell." Jane spoke to the two-way window. A uniformed officer appeared and led the handcuffed suspect to booking. All the way down the hallway the suspect kept asking questions about "that woman." Jane and Frost watched, perplexed.

"Do you have any idea why he keeps babbling about Dr. Isles?" Jane asked. Frost shook his head.

"He's probably coming unhinged now that he's been caught. Maybe Dr. Isles reminds him of a family member or friend's mother."

"Yeah that's probably it. I'm going down to the morgue to thank Dr. Isles. Maybe I'll ask her to lunch," Jane said and got on the elevator.

"Are you still doing that autopsy?" Jane asked as she entered the autopsy room. Maura was bent over the table, taking care to make the sutures as neat as possible.

"Don't rush me, I like my stitches to be nice and neat."

"It isn't like she's going to be wearing a strapless gown, Dr. Isles."

"Maura."

"Excuse me?"

"My first name is Maura, Detective. Since we're going to be working together we might as well be on a first name basis," Maura looked up at Jane and smiled brightly.

"Jane."

"Nice to see you, Jane," Maura said. She stepped back and admired her handiwork.

"There. Now her family can give her the proper burial. They'll be able to have a viewing if they wish."

"That's nice, Maura."

"Did you know that sixteen percent of all recently deceased people never have a funeral or memorial?"

"No, I did not know that. I came down here to thank you for your help. The suspect is being booked on first degree murder charges. I'm going to lunch, care to join me?"

"I'd love to, Jane. Let me put our victim away and get my things." Jane watched Maura effortlessly slide the victim into the refrigerator.

"You're quite strong," Jane remarked.

"Yes, I find it helpful to be able to lift dead bodies without assistance. This way cuts down on possible contamination of victims. Where shall we eat, Jane?"

"There's a deli down the street that's a favorite of most cops. You know our suspect started to come unglued when he saw you, Maura. Are you _sure_ you don't know him?"

"No, Jane, I don't know him. Maybe I remind him of someone from his past."

"Yeah, okay."

As they reached the deli Jane pulled open the door for Maura and stepped aside to let the m.e. enter first. Maura noticed the chivalry Jane exhibited. _Quite refreshing_, she thought to herself. _I wonder if the Detective treats all women this way?_

Zeroing in on watching Jane as the other woman perused the menu Maura noted the flawless olive toned skin and athletic build to her body. Jane's wild hair was pulled into a ponytail and Maura wondered briefly how her hair looked when freed from its constraints.

"Maura? Excuse me, Dr. Isles?" Jane smiled at Maura as she caught the doctor's attention.

"Oh, sorry, Jane, I was thinking about something."

"I noticed. So tell me about yourself." Maura dipped her head down for a moment, closed her eyes briefly, then looked at Jane.

"My adoptive parents are Richard and Constance Isles. I grew up all over the world as they traveled. My medical degree is from Harvard University."

"Nice recitation of facts, Doctor," Jane laughed. "Are you married? Divorced? Living with someone?"

"No, my kind usually doesn't pair off."

"Your kind? Are you a different species from the rest of us, Maura?"

"No, I've always been a little socially awkward, that's all. Because of that it's difficult for me to meet people and sustain normal relationships." Jane nodded but didn't know how to answer. Instead she rubbed her hands and changed the subject.

"I hope we get some warm weather soon. I'm tired of being cold."

Maura watched Jane's hands and noted the scars. _Is she like me? Did Laura and Todd place another cyborg in the Boston Police Department as a homicide detective?_ Maura might have asked Jane about her scars but their meal was delivered. She watched as Jane bit hungrily into her sandwich. A small dribble of grease dropped down the front of Jane's shirt.

"Shit," Jane mumbled.

"Here, let me," Maura said. She leaned forward with her napkin, dipped it in her water glass and began to scrub the spot off Jane's shirt front. Jane sat frozen, watching Maura work. She noticed Maura's perfume and how flawless her skin appeared. Maura's blouse was open at the top and Jane could see the edge of a beautiful, lacy primrose colored bra.

_Shit, _Jane thought.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: The usual applies. Not mine. **

Chapter Four

Maura returned to the morgue after her lunch with Jane, intrigued at the dark-haired detective's behavior during their time together. She intended to ask Jane about the scars on her palms but didn't get the chance. Once Maura sat back in her chair after dabbing out the small stain on Jane's shirt Jane found a reason to return to the precinct. Maura stayed at the restaurant, enjoying her soup and salad combo and puzzling over why Jane Rizzoli fled so quickly she nearly overturned a nearby table. If Jane was like her why did she act so flustered? Maura made a mental note to ask Laura about this when she went in for a reboot.

Jane practically ran back to the precinct, her takeout container dangerously close to spilling open. Jane didn't notice. She ran back to the bullpen, dropping her lunch on her desk and continuing on to the back bathroom. Once inside she locked the door behind her and gripped the edge of the sink while she stared in the mirror.

The woman staring back at her looked strange: wild hair every which way, wide eyes filled with terror, nostrils flaring from her run back to work. She knew she looked every bit of how she felt, a woman in danger of falling in love with a colleague.

"Damn, damn, damn. Get hold of yourself," Jane instructed. Instead the image in the mirror looked even more terrified, if possible. _This can't happen,_ Jane told herself. _I can't fall in love with Maura. She's a woman and she's out of my league. _Jane cleared her mind of everything but all things Maura Isles. In their short time together Jane recognized class and Maura had it in spades. _She probably grew up privileged. She isn't going to want a blue collar working class Italian detective who's also a woman. _

Jane's panic wasn't new to her. She developed feelings for a robbery detective when they both ended up on the same joint task force a couple of years earlier. Jane didn't make a move but the other woman, Christina, did. Almost petrified to respond Jane finally started to relax and enjoy herself with Christina. The two spent a lot of time together outside of work and Jane toyed with the possibility of a real relationship with Christina. Until the morning Jane went to work early and found Christina parodying her to her robbery colleagues.

Jane was mortified. She fled the precinct, called in sick for the day and silently fumed and cried on her couch. She cleaned her apartment, did her laundry, and tossed anything that reminded her of Christina in the trash. Jane returned to work the following day resolved to get through it. Her resolve wasn't needed, however. She found out that Frost and Korsak truly had her back. Korsak chewed Christina out in front of the others when he heard what happened. Christina slunk back to robbery while she awaited a transfer. Jane never spoke of what happened to anyone.

Now the problem reared its ugly head once again. Jane Rizzoli was determined to not allow anyone in at least not anyone who had the potential to make her work life difficult. _It's okay, I'll just make sure we have only a professional relationship. No drinks after work, no lunches together. Maura Isles and I will never be friends. _Feeling calmer Jane put her hair in some semblance of a ponytail and returned to her desk.

Maura read the text from Laura and made a note in her calendar. She was due in the lab the following afternoon for her reboot. Laura explained to Maura that a reboot was necessary every couple of weeks to make sure all of her parts remained in good working order. As a top of the line model Maura understood how important these reboots were and resolved to take them seriously. Also she made a note to ask Laura about Jane. She dipped her head down to access her emotional needs module. _Hmm, _she thought as she brought her head back up, _same sex relationships are not against policy. _Maura went back to work, her thoughts on Jane Rizzoli.

"Is everything working okay, Maura? No short circuits, unnecessary reboots, or slowing of your circuits?" Laura asked. Maura was stretched out on an exam table, her shirt open while Laura accessed her panel.

"I haven't experienced any problems I'm aware of, Doctor. I'm not aware of losing any time that would indicate a reboot occurring without my knowledge."

Laura nodded in approval. "So far you seem to be in working order. How's work? Are you enjoying your duties?'

"Immensely. Being chief medical examiner for the city of Boston seems to mesh well with my personality. I enjoy helping the police catch bad guys and put them away. I'm extremely detail oriented and I've overheard talk that I'm better at my job than the previous examiner, a Dr. Cuthbert." Laura nodded again.

"We've been told the same. What about personally, Maura? Are you making friends or trying to fit in?"

"I seem to fit in professionally. I'm curious about this one detective, Jane Rizzoli. We went to lunch the other day but she suddenly ran out."

"Did she receive a call she needed to respond to?"

"No, I was not aware of her cell phone suddenly ringing. Nor did I detect a pattern of a text message being delivered."

"What were you talking about?"

"Nothing, really. Jane developed a small stain on her shirt front and I reached forward to dab at it for her. She was wearing a silk shirt-silk stains easily-and I didn't want her to lose the blouse. She looked wonderful in it, it really compliments her olive-toned skin. When I sat back Jane jumped up, almost knocked a nearby table over, and fled down the street."

Laura frowned. While Maura spoke she observed the doctor-Maura's eyes lit when she spoke of Jane. _Could she be developing feelings for the detective?_ Laura wondered. Cyborgs didn't usually mate and while Laura was not adverse to Maura having an emotional relationship with another person this was unknown territory. Laura feared for Maura in the respect that a human could not possibly understand a cyborg.

"Are you attracted to Jane, Maura?" Laura asked gently. Maura looked puzzled for a moment then dipped her head down to further access her emotional stability module.

"Oh, I see what you mean. Maybe. I don't really know. I would like to get to know Jane better first, but I'm not ready to sleep with her."

"That's good. Most humans want to get to know each other before they become physically intimate. But does Jane have feelings for you?"

"I suspect she does. She looked down my blouse while I was rubbing the stain off hers. Doesn't that usually indicate a human's desire?" Laura wanted to laugh for a moment. Maura sounded like a doctor, at least, with a clinical detachment to emotional issues normally reserved for clinical studies.

"Maybe, but wait a while, Maura, before you say or do anything. Maybe try to be friends with Jane first. Then see how she acts."

"Bummer. I was hoping to get to see more of her body, she's gorgeous." Laura sighed.

"Lie down for a moment, Maura. I want to check something in your modules. I suspect I may have allowed a little more of my brother Sammy's influence in than I intended." Laura put Maura under and accessed her panel. Accessing the language and emotion modules Laura tapped in a few new commands. After a few moments of tinkering Laura closed Maura's panel.

"Are you my mother?" Maura asked as she opened her eyes. Laura sighed once again. She made a note in Maura's file to check the programming. Laura was grateful that Maura's friendship with Jane Rizzoli, if that's all it was, was in the beginning stages. She didn't look forward to receiving an irate call from Lt. Cavanaugh informing her that his chief medical examiner was running around asking female detectives if they were her mother.

Maura checked her messages as she left the lab. An urgent one from Jane had been left fifteen minutes earlier. A body had been found in the woods. Jane left her detailed directions and Maura found the site quickly. She grabbed her bag and gave her ID to the officer in charge of maintaining the crime scene personnel.

"Dr. Isles, glad you're here," Jane said in a formal tone of voice. "We've been inspecting the area around the body but he hasn't been touched. We left everything as it was."

"Thank you, Detective. I appreciate your professionalism."

"No problem. Are you okay? One of the uniforms mentioned you had a doctor's appointment this afternoon," Jane regretted the comment as soon as it was out of her mouth. On the drive to the crime scene she coached herself to remain detached where Dr. Isles was concerned and here she was asking the m.e. a personal question.

Maura looked up and smiled. "Just a checkup but thanks for asking." Maura started her preliminary examination of the body. "Twenty-five to thirty year old male, in good shape, possibly an athlete, with few external marks on the exposed portion of his body, I'm probably not going to have a cause of death until the toxicology reports are back."

"No signs of any trauma at all, Maura?" Jane winced as she spoke Maura's first name.

"No, none visible to the naked eye, Jane. Let me get him back to the morgue and I can get a more detailed examination done before I start the autopsy."

"Thanks, Maura," Jane said. She turned back to Frost. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Frost?" she asked in a low voice. The whole time she'd been around the body she noted a younger man on the edge of the crowd, seemingly nervous.

"The guy in the blue hoodie?" Frost asked. Jane lowered her eyes to not attract the man's attention.

"Yeah. Think we should have a chat with him?"

"Seems warranted. I'll saunter over so I'm behind him when you approach. Maybe we can keep him from running."

Maura watched the two detectives coordinate their strategy while she made notes. Frost moved away from them, acting like he was looking for evidence on the ground. He kept the man in his peripheral vision, as did Jane. As Frost moved into place Jane looked up and made eye contact. The man hesitated for a split second and then ran. Frost moved to tackle him but the man strong-armed Frost and dropped the detective to the ground. Jane gave chase.

Maura watched as Frost got up and began to give chase. She saw the suspect take an end run around the large oak tree toward the entrance to the woods but saw Jane go in the opposite direction. Fearing Jane would lose her suspect Maura sprang into action. Motioning to her lab assistant to supervise the removal of the victim Maura straightened up and checked her bag.

"I'm going to my car for a moment, take care of our victim will you? Don't crack him, lay him on his side. I'll see you back at the precinct."

"Yes, Dr. Isles." Maura walked sedately around a large clump of bushes. Looking around she saw no one watching her. Thrusting her palms out two cables spun out. She hooked both cables on the top of the tallest tree. Maura jumped onto the trunk of the one tree and used the cables to pull herself up.

Once in the top of the tree she looked out for the suspect. She watched him as he started to enter the last clearing before reaching the parking lot. Jane and Frost were nowhere to be seen. Calculating the distance Maura began to swing from the tree and landed on the back of the suspect. He'd slowed up, trying to blend in when he didn't see anyone around him. The woman on his back took him by surprise. Unable to overcome his shock quickly enough Maura had him on his stomach and pulled the man's hands behind his back, just as if she were handcuffing him.

"Jane!" Maura called out. She retracted the cables before the detective answered.

"Maura, are you all right?" Jane asked as she saw Maura sitting on the suspect's back.

"I was heading for my car, to return to the precinct and I saw your suspect. He tried to grab me, Jane. I was so scared."

Jane moved quickly to handcuff the suspect. Frost ran over and led the suspect to a uniform and a cruiser. Jane turned and pulled Maura into her arms.

"It's okay, Maura, you'll be fine," she soothed the medical examiner. _Damn she feels good in my arms, _Jane thought.

_This is a lovely feeling, _Maura thought. _I wonder what it's called? _

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jane tore herself away from Maura and motioned to Frost. "Hey Frost, can you escort Dr. Isles back to the morgue? She's had a bit of a scare."

"Sure Jane, this way Dr. Isles," Frost took Maura's elbow and steered her to where all of the vehicles were parked at the edge of the woods. Maura was puzzled. _Do all humans act this way or did I do something wrong?_ She asked herself.

"Detective Frost, is Jane always this curt?" she asked.

"Huh? Curt? You should see her sometimes, Dr. Isles. When she gets angry at a suspect or crime scene you don't want to be anywhere near her," Frost chuckled.

_Oh but I do, _Maura thought. Her arms practically ached to be back with the wild-haired detective.

"Is she married?"

"Jane? No. I don't think she's dating anyone. Unlike me, I met my current girlfriend at The Dirty Robber," Frost began to boast.

"What's a dirty robber?" Maura asked. She began to think Laura missed a lot of vocabulary when her language module was built.

"It's a cop bar. You can join us when we finish this case," Frost said. He seated Maura in his car then started the engine.

"Thank you, Detective Frost. I'd like that. I never get to socialize with my colleagues a lot of the time. Is Jane gay?"

"Whoa, Doc, slow down. TMI. I don't like discussing the private lives of my fellow officers. You'll have to ask her yourself." Frost ran his finger around the edge of his collar. He debated whether or not to give Jane a heads-up on the doctor's line of questioning. Maura solved that problem for him.

"Please don't say anything to Jane, Detective Frost. I'll give her a complete rundown of our conversation myself. I don't want her to think we were discussing her behind her back."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Please call me Maura."

"Maura. Here's the morgue. I'll just drop you off here in back. I want to rejoin Jane at the crime scene."

"Thank you for your help, Detective Frost."

Maura went into the morgue to find the latest victim's body already on her slab. She picked up the clipboard of notes from the scene and reviewed what she'd already written. But Maura couldn't concentrate. Visions of Jane danced before her eyes and she felt Jane's arms around her.

_What I wouldn't give to feel Jane's arms around me in a more intimate setting. Now what is that feeling called? _Maura ducked her head down and closed her eyes. _Ah, comfort. I think I like being comforted by Jane Rizzoli. _Maura went over to the body and prepped it for the autopsy. Picking up her scalpel she made her first incision.

Maura worked steadily for the next couple of hours. As she slid the body into the "dead fridge" as Jane called it she heard the elevator doors open and Jane's distinctive step tapped tapped toward the morgue doors.

"Hi, Maura, we got him booked for murder. What do you have?" she asked.

"Cause of death is inconclusive. I've put a rush on the labs, toxicology reports. We should know something within the next twenty-four hours. What did your suspect say?"

"Enough to book him for murder. Says they were both dating the same woman, got jealous, he slipped the victim a sedative so he'd sleep through his date. Except the dosage was too much and the victim never woke up. He panicked and dropped the body in the woods."

"I'll check the tox screens for the sedatives he used. You're right, either the dosage was too much or our victim had a sensitivity to it."

"He kept talking about you, Maura, saying he didn't try anything with you, you landed on his back."  
>"What? That's preposterous, Jane. How could I land on his back unless I was swinging from the trees like a monkey?" Maura turned away from Jane, pretending to be absorbed in her laptop.<p>

"Yeah, Frost said he probably was in shock from accidentally killing his friend. By the way Frost said you wanted to ask me something?" Maura felt herself cringe. This was not a conversation she wanted to have at work.

"Frost said you liked to go to The Dirty Robber after wrapping a case. May I join you?"

"Of course, Maura. I'm glad you want to join us. We'll be there around six tonight. We have a few beers, maybe play a game or two of pool. I'll see you there," Jane smiled as she left the morgue and returned to the bullpen.

Six p.m. came and Maura found herself in a booth at The Dirty Robber. While waiting for Jane and the rest to join her she surveyed her surroundings. She supposed it was a normal run of the mill type of bar and happened to be the favorite hangout for the police. Peanut shells littered the floor even at this time of evening and Maura wondered how many more would be on the floor by the 2 a.m. closing time. The mahogany table tops had been shellacked and polished to a fine sheen. All of the booths looked worn but comfortable. Just as Maura decided to try a glass of wine Jane walked in.

"Hey." Jane said as she slid into the booth. "Care for a beer?" Jane held up two fingers and ordered for both.

"I was thinking of a glass of wine."

"Too chalky, you won't like it. Try one of my beers." Jane held out the bottle for the m.e. After hesitating a moment Maura lifted it to her lips and sipped.

"Hmm, that is good," she said, surprised. Jane grinned.

"We'll make a blue collar cop out of you yet, Maura."

"I don't see a blue collar on you Jane." Jane almost spit out her beer.

"Not literally, Maura. You're too upper crust, Maura."

"Upper crust, Jane?"

"Out of my league," Jane said before she thought. Maura paused.

"I am the top of the line model for this year, Jane, but I don't think that makes you out of my league. What year model are you?"

"What are you talking about, Maura? I'm the same age you are, I think. You have a finer breeding than the rest of us. What do you parents do for a living?"

"They're retired and enjoy traveling. Mother is an artist and Father was an executive vice president of an investment banking firm when he worked. Like I said they've been retired for awhile now although Mother enjoys an occasional art show or she'll install a new piece somewhere."

"Exactly my point. Everyone else is from this neighborhood or close by. We don't travel unless you count occasional camping trips during our childhoods. Most of us didn't go to college beyond the police academy training."

"I fail to see how that makes me upper crust, Jane. Everyone has their merits, their potential. Whether or not they live up to it is up to them and the choices they make in life."

Jane started peeling the label off her beer bottle. It was a habit she used to distract her thinking. Right now she wanted to invite Dr. Isles home with her but didn't know what pretense she'd use to get her there. The thought of getting into Dr. Isles' pants was very appealing but Jane wanted to think things through before getting to that point. They had to work together, after all, and Jane didn't want a repeat of Christine's antics. She didn't think she'd make it through something like that a second time.

And, if truth be told, her desire for Dr. Isles went beyond a one night stand. She was drawn to the doctor, in a way unfamiliar to her. Jane didn't quite know what it meant, other than she wanted to take her time with the doctor.

_I don't even know if Maura's attracted to me, _Jane thought. She looked up to see Maura reach across the table and take Jane's hands in hers. Maura rubbed the scars on the back of Jane's hands.

"How did you get these?" Maura asked softly.

"A very bad man put them there when I was reckless," Jane replied. She left her hands in Maura's. Maura continued rubbing Jane's scars and massaging the backs of Jane's hands. Jane couldn't begin to describe how great it felt or exactly where in her body she was feeling Maura's massage.

"It must have been terrible for you," Maura said softly. Jane swallowed.

"Yes. I wasn't sure I'd make it out alive. I went through several months of therapy to get my hands to work properly. I was afraid for awhile my career was gone."

For her part Maura was mesmerized by Jane's voice. She developed a great liking and admiration for the detective beyond the personal attraction she felt for Jane.

_I want to invite myself over to her home. How do I go about doing that? And what do I do when we get there? _

Maura didn't have to wonder long. Jane went to stand up and tripped coming out of the booth. Maura was at her side, helping her up. Jane sat up with her back against the booth. She started rubbing her right ankle.

"Here Jane, let me help you." Maura took Jane's ankle and placed it in her lap. She began running her hands over the ankle looking for broken bones. "I don't think you broke anything Jane, it's probably just a sprain."

Jane pulled her ankle away from Maura. Maura's soft fingers rubbing over Jane's skin was beginning to get to Jane. She struggled to stand. Maura put her arm around Jane's waist and pulled Jane's other arm around her shoulders.

"Lean on me. Here, I'll see you home," Maura said. Jane leaned on Maura and together they hobbled out to the parking lot. Maura opened her passenger door and helped Jane into her seat. As she walked around to the driver's door Maura smiled to herself. It wasn't that she wanted Jane to hurt herself, it helped Maura.

Maura slid into Jane's parking space and went around to help the detective out of the car. Once again she slid her arms around Jane and guided Jane's arm around her shoulders.

"Puppy!" Maura exclaimed when Jo Friday came bounding out of the bedroom looking for her mistress.

"Maura Isles, meet Joe Friday." Jane introduced.

"What's a Joe Friday?"

"You've never heard of Joe Friday from Dragnet?" Jane asked incredulously. "It was one of my favorite after school programs. Probably influenced me to become a cop, if truth be told."

"I didn't watch much television," Maura said. "Does Joe Friday need to be walked?" At the word 'walk' Joe Friday sat up and barked. Jane laughed.

"You said the wrong word, Maura. You'll have to take her. There's a bag on her leash, if she goes. Thanks."

Maura clipped the leash onto Joe Friday's collar and led the little dog downstairs. Joe led Maura to the park across the street and began studying the "pee mail" left by other dogs on the street lamps and posts.

_So now what do I do? _Maura asked herself. _I can't just walk back in there, grab Jane by her shirt and kiss her, can I? Hmm, why not? _ Joe finished her business and they returned to Jane's apartment.

Jane sat on her sofa, her ankle propped up on the coffee table, nursing a beer. "Here I poured you a glass of wine. I hope it's better than what they serve at The Dirty Robber." Maura smiled her thanks. Joe Friday helped herself to a large drink of water then retreated to the bedroom. Maura watched the pooch then thought, _Lucky Dog. You get to sleep in Jane's bed. _

"Maura, you okay? Come sit down," Jane said, patting the sofa next to her. _Okay I admit it, I'm attracted to her. Maybe we can be friends and I can work this out of my system. I am NOT getting involved with her._

Maura took her seat and sipped her wine. She set her glass down and looked at Jane.

"Jane are you gay?" she asked. Jane spit out her beer.

"God, Maura, you get right to it, don't you?"

"I want to know. I asked Detective Frost earlier today but he suggested I talk to you. So I'm asking."

"You first. You're straight aren't you, Maura?"

"No, I've always been attracted to both sexes," Maura automatically replied. _Wait, where did that come from? I've only been in the world a couple of months. I haven't been with anyone. What does being with someone mean, anyway? I must ask Dr. Ross. Maybe these are her experiences and I'm just parroting them back. _

"You like women, Maura?" Jane asked, surprised. _I have to quit assuming I know things about my coworkers just because I'm a detective. Maura is a beautiful woman. I can see both sexes wanting her. Hell, I want her. _

"I like you, Jane," Maura said. Jane didn't say anything; she watched Maura's face for a moment. Leaning forward she placed her beer bottle on the table and leaned forward. Tilting Maura's face up to hers Jane captured Maura's lips in a long, slow kiss. Maura felt her temperature rising and began worrying about a short circuit. _Uh oh, _she thought as the kiss deepened. Maura felt her circuits begin to race then all went black for a moment. She came to with her head on her chin.

"Maura, are you alright? Did you pass out from our kiss? My God I'm not that good. Maura, talk to me," Jane frantically said.

"Are you my mother?" Maura asked.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"What, Maura, my mother's here?" Jane looked around in confusion. She backed away from Maura, her fingers on her lips. Her lips were tingling, like she'd gotten an electric shock. _Damn the woman can kiss, _Jane thought.

"I didn't hear you, Maura, my lips were tingling. Did you say my mother is here?"

"No," Maura cleared her throat, relieved. "I'm not sure what I meant. I want to do that again." Maura pulled Jane to her and their lips collided. Jane was certain her lips were going to be tingling for days. _Talk about chemistry, Maura's purely electric. _

Both phones rang. "Okay," Jane said and backed away. She didn't know if she should be elated her phone rang, preventing her and Maura from taking this further this evening or cry because a phone call for both probably meant another case. Maura looked disappointed. _Jane is an absolutely fabulous creature. I must get her into bed-soon. _

Maura grabbed her bag and headed out behind Jane. The report came in from the old warehouse district. Maura peeked in the trunk of her car, looking for more sensible shoes to wear. She didn't want to ruin a perfectly good pair of Manolo Blahniks walking around old debris and moldy floors. Maura found a pair of shoes similar to Jane's racing shoes at the bottom of her briefcase. She pulled them out and put them on and followed Jane into the warehouse.

The body was that of a young man, Maura predicted to be in his mid-twenties. Similar to the last case the body bore no outward trauma marks, nothing indicating how he died. Maura checked out the area around the body but didn't see any other marks or footprints.

"He wasn't killed here, Jane," Maura said, looking up at Jane.

"I came to the same conclusion, Maura. Okay, we'll check out the warehouse. When you do the autopsy please see if you can find any fibers or evidence of any other location he might have been at today?"

"Certainly. I'm going to have my team take the body back to the morgue. Will I see you later?" Maura asked pointedly. She stepped forward as if to kiss Jane goodbye. Jane jerked back.

"Uh, maybe, I don't know. You know how it can get with a new case and all," she stammered. Jane moved to the nearest catwalk and began climbing stairs, grateful to be away from Maura for the moment.

"Let me know," Maura said. _Damn. I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight. After completing the autopsy I know I'm going to be obsessed with and consumed by thoughts of Jane Rizzoli._

"Doc, you need a lift?" one of the uniforms called across the warehouse.

"Yes, she does," Jane answered for her. Maura put her hand up to indicate she'd be with the officer in a moment and moved to the other catwalk away from Jane and the others.

Starting to climb the stairs she felt a spark from under her shoes and felt herself rise in the air. Glancing down she noticed a small puff of smoke coming from the heel of both shoes. Maura was hovering an inch above the ground.

_Oh, hover shoes. I read about these. Laura must have put these in my bag after my check-up. _

Maura moved her feet to try and figure out how to use the shoes. When she made a kicking motion in the air she rose a little higher. Pushing her feet back caused her to move backward, the opposite motion moved her forward. Finding a bit of space in which to work Maura clicked her feet together, not unlike Dorothy did when she wanted to return home from Oz. Maura shot into the air. She looked around, frantically. Did anyone see her? When she didn't hear anything unusual or see anyone staring at her she lowered herself to the ground.

Another great tool, she noted. She walked back around to the front of the warehouse and walked out with the uniform who offered to give her a ride. On the other side of the catwalk Korsak stood frozen, doubting his eyesight. _I need to get my eyes checked. I can't have just seen Maura rise in the air and hover weightlessly. Did I?_

Maura completed the autopsy in record time. Meticulous as always she raced through the tissue samples, hoping to get everything to Jane in record time. The faster they closed this case the quicker Maura could take Jane home and resume their personal relationship.

"Hey, Maura," Jane's voice floated through the morgue doors. "Did you find anything?"

"Some fibers that look to be from carpeting, too much plaque on his teeth for his age and early onset heart disease, probably related to the excess plaque on his teeth but not a definitive cause of death. I've sent the tissue samples and tox screens to the lab. We should have those back in a few hours, Jane." Maura turned to smile at the tired detective. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. You know how these cases go. We're here non-stop until the perp is found." Jane hesitated. She wanted to talk to Maura about what happened between them before they caught the case but wasn't sure how to bring it up. Maura sensed Jane's hesitation and moved closer to the detective.

"May I kiss you, Jane?" Maura asked in a low voice. Jane backed away.

"No, no, not here at work, Maura."

"How about my place later, Jane?" Maura hoped she didn't sound like a horny teenager, whatever that was.

"We'll talk after the case closes. I don't parade my personal life in the precinct, Maura. I've been burned before after a personal relationship with a coworker blew up in my face. Okay?"

"Sure, Jane," Maura nodded. "Let me get you the files you need. I tried to find the manufacturer of the carpet files before you came down. I'll get you what I have."

"Thanks, Maura." Jane took the file and smiled at Maura. Her eyes lingered a little longer than necessary. Maura flushed. Jane winked and went upstairs.

Korsak sat at his desk, staring at his monitor. He kept shaking his head to clear his sight. _I'm not having any difficulty seeing my monitor or working on my computer. How can I have seen Maura hovering above the ground much less shoot into the air like that? If Frost was here, I could…No I can't. How am I supposed to ask Frost a question about Maura hovering above ground? He'll think I'm nuts._ Korsak sighed and turned his attention back to the case. _Maybe I need a rest. I'll put in for some vacation time after this case is closed._

Maura sat at her desk. She started to surf the web for new shoes but turned her attention to emotions, sex and horny teenagers. She typed the phrase 'horny teenager' into her search engine and sat back.

_I wonder if they're any relation to horny toads? Or is that horned toads? I think Laura may need to fine tune a couple of my modules. My various bits of trivia seem to be getting mixed up. _ As the results for 'horny teenagers' scrolled across her screen Maura gasped.

"Oh no, oh no, I can't act this way in front of Jane. She'll think I just want to get her into bed." Maura muttered aloud. _Wait, isn't that what I do want? So what's the difference between a personal relationship and a one night stand? _Maura continued her research on the internet.

Upstairs Korsak kept periodically shaking his head, as if he had something in his eye. Jane put the file with the carpet fibers on his desk and he began searching carpet manufacturers. Glancing down at Maura's report Korsak couldn't tell if the fiber had any special characteristics about it and Maura didn't list any. Getting up he grabbed the file and decided to head down to the morgue and ask Maura a few questions.

Maura sat in front of her computer, frustrated. She wasn't understanding some of what she was reading on the net. Deciding to check her own emotions module she dipped her head down. She didn't hear Korsak approach.

While she searched her emotions module Maura found she needed to go further in herself than before. She closed her eyes. The search was easier now. Reading the adult rated material she brought her head up, feeling as if she'd been in a deep sleep. She looked up and saw Korsak smiling at her.

"Are you my mother?" she asked. _Damn it, quit that!_ She admonished herself.

For his part Korsak laughed.

"I've been accused of many things, Doctor Isles, but being someone's mother isn't one of them," he chuckled. "That must have been some dream you were having."

"Yes, I'm a little sleepy. I must have dozed off," Maura covered. She needed to email Laura. This nonsense had to stop.

"Imagine if Jane were here instead of me. I wonder how she might answer that question?" Korsak laughed.

"She thought I said her mother was in the room. In her defense I kissed her so I think she was afraid she'd get caught in a compromising position with a coworker," Maura said, recalling her earlier conversation with Jane.

"You kissed Jane?" Korsak asked. Maura looked up realizing what she'd said.

_Damn. Shit. How the hell do I get out of this one? _Maura thought as Korsak continued to stare at her.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Korsak shrugged his shoulders and turned to go back upstairs. Jane's private life was her personal business but he was delighted for her, if Maura was the partner she wanted in life. He couldn't wait to tease her.

He didn't have to wait long. Jane was at her desk. Korsak meandered over to her. In a singsong voice he looked down and teased. "Janie's got a girlfriend, Janie's got a girlfriend." Jane's head snapped up.

"What crap are you singing about now, Korsak?"

"I was just downstairs with the doc," he said, and sang it again, "Janie's got a girlfriend." Jane jumped up.

"Shut the hell up Korsak, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Doctor Isles told me she kissed you."

"She told you WHAT?" Jane practically screamed. _Oh no she didn't_ Jane's thoughts screamed in her mind. She turned and ran downstairs, not waiting for the elevator.

Jane didn't stop running until she was in the morgue. "Maura why the hell did you tell Korsak you kissed me?"

Maura looked up, terrified. "I'm sorry Jane, I didn't think. It slipped out by accident."

"Maura, I'm a woman detective, in homicide. I get teased about every little thing that happens around here. What if Korsak tells anyone else?"

Maura put her scalpel down and walked closer to Jane. "Come into my office, Jane." She grabbed Jane's hand and started to pull her into the office.

Jane jerked backward. "No, Maura, I'm done. I thought we could be friends but I guess that isn't possible. We'll keep to a professional relationship only. You're Dr. Isles and I'm Detective Rizzoli. That's the way it has to be."

Jane turned and stomped her way out of the morgue. Maura stared after her, puzzled. _Why is Jane so upset? She enjoyed that kiss just as much as I did. _

Maura finished her day and went home, still puzzled over Jane's outburst. She sat down with a glass of white wine and thought over the whole relationship she'd had to this point with Jane.

_Exquisite creature, really with lovely long fingers…_a flash of heat rolled through Maura's body as she thought of Jane's hands and what they could do to her…_Enough, _Maura cautioned herself. _Exquisite creature has backed away from you, Maura. You scared her. _

_Did I? Or did I open Jane to another avenue of her sexuality? Sexuality is quite fluid really, although a lot of people aren't aware of that. You might have intense feelings of desire for one of the same sex yet never experience that feeling for anyone else of the same gender. _Maura sat back with her glass of wine, lost in her thoughts.

Across town Jane sat in her favorite booth at the Dirty Robber, already on her third beer. In an attempt to slow down her alcohol consumption she was busy peeling the label off her beer bottle. _The last time I did this, Maura grabbed my hands and asked me about my scars. I liked her touching me. It's funny I never let anyone touch my scars before, not even Ma. It's different when it's Maura. _

Jane slammed the beer bottle back down on the table. _That's the problem, isn't it, Janie? It's Maura. _She wanted to put her head down and cry but she wouldn't give into her feelings. Not in the Dirty Robber, not in front of other cops. She closed her eyes for a minute and tried to clear her mind. Her cell phone rang.

Jane looked at the display and didn't know if she was glad it was the dispatcher or disappointed it wasn't Maura.

"Rizzoli." She answered and listened. "I'll be right there." Whatever her feelings for Maura they had another body.

The young man was found in the west end of the woods, not far from the clearing leading to Boston Cambridge University. Maura was already there, checking the liver temp to determine morbidity. She looked up at Jane.

"Detective, how are you this evening?" she asked.

"Fine thank you, Dr. Isles. So what do we have?" Jane squatted next to the body.

"Same as the last one. Mid-twenties, been dead about two hours, no sign of trauma."

"Serial killer maybe?"

"That's for you to determine, Detective, not me. I just tell you what I find on the body," Maura replied softly. Jane saw a profound sadness in Maura's eyes and knew she was the cause. Jane straightened. "You do your gumshoe thing and I do the science, Detective." Jane studied Maura's face for a moment but didn't reply.

Maura stood and signaled for her team to transport the body. "I'll see you back at the morgue." Jane nodded at Maura and Maura headed for her car. She turned back.

"I'm sorry, Detective, for what I caused." Maura watched Jane's face. Jane nodded, her face softening somewhat before the 'Detective Rizzoli' façade slipped down over her features. Maura started to walk away then saw something moving quickly toward Jane.

"Jane, be careful!" Maura screamed and moved toward Jane as fast as she could. Jane ducked her head then felt a hard object bounce off her shoulder. Maura grabbed Jane and pulled her forward. Maura enveloped Jane into her body. Clicking her heels they shot across the field. Suddenly finding herself standing beside Maura's car Jane looked around, confused.

"How did we get here so quickly?" she asked.

"You're quite the runner, Jane. Did you run track in high school?" Maura said.

Jane looked at her for a moment. "No, I didn't care for it. I played basketball." Maura nodded.

"Your reaction time is phenomenal, Jane. I screamed, you grabbed me and ran over here."

"I grabbed you?" Jane asked. She was certain Maura wrapped Jane in her arms. Maybe they moved too fast. Jane felt dizzy.

"Here, let me help you into my car."

"What hit me, Maura? Did you see anything?"

"No, but I'll text Frost to look for something where we were standing."

"I should go back Maura. Help Frost with the investigation and find out what happened."

"He can handle it, Jane. Besides I need to take you home and examine your shoulder. You don't want to end up with an infection."

Jane started to recover her wits. "No, I'm okay, Maura. Just take me back to the precinct. I can pick up my car."

Maura waited a moment before replying. "Are you sure, Jane?"

"Yes, Dr. Isles. Thank you for everything," Jane's tone of voice turned formal. Maura sighed. _We're back to formalities, I see. _

Neither woman spoke as Maura dropped Jane off by her car. Jane thanked her again and started her car. Maura waited until Jane pulled out of her parking spot.

Back at home Maura poured herself a glass of wine. She glanced down at Bass. "I don't know what to do, Bass. I keep trying to make up with Jane but she backs down every time." Maura crouched down in front of the tortoise, a British strawberry in her hand. She stroked his head as he gobbled the expensive treat. She continued to contemplate her pet for a moment until a knock at the door broke into her thoughts.

"I wonder who that can be," she muttered. Maura checked the peephole. Jane stood on the other side.

"Jane?" Maura said as she opened the door. The detective merely looked at Maura before pushing past her. Maura closed the door and turned to Jane.

Jane stepped forward, placing her hands on both sides of Maura's face as she pulled Maura in for a passionate kiss. They kissed for several moments before breaking away.

"Maura," Jane started to say then screamed. Pain shot through her left ankle as she felt something stabbing her leg. She looked down. Bass' mouth was locked on her leg. Maura noticed the same.

"No, no, Bass, this is Jane, the detective I told you about. She isn't a threat," Maura explained quickly. Bass released Jane's leg and backed up a bit.

"You talk to your turtle?" Jane asked.

"Tortoise," Maura corrected. "Yes, Bass and I are very close. He's my personal security."

"Sure, he is, Maura. You know, most people have dogs for security animals. Not turtles."

"Tortoise. He's very special, Jane."

"I'm sure he is. But I came here to see you, Maura." Jane glanced back down at Bass then back at Maura.

"If I kiss you again, or sit down and pull you onto my lap so we can make out, he isn't going to attack me, is he?" she asked. Maura looked at her coyly.

"Try and see."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Jane groaned. "Maura you're going to be the death of me, aren't you?"

"I fail to see how that can be, Jane. I'm not planning on killing you. I don't have any firearms here and we're far enough away from the kitchen that I-" the remainder of Maura's comment was lost in another kiss. Jane put her arms around Maura's waist and pulled the other woman closer. Maura reached up and looped her arms around Jane's neck. Her fingers started toying with Jane's hair as the kiss lingered.

Maura pulled back first. Her breathing was shallow and her heart raced. _I need to calm down. If I pass out and ask Jane if she's my mother again, I'll lose her forever. She'll think me a freak._

Jane stared at Maura as she recovered from their kiss. _Hmm no electricity that time except my heart is beating like it wants to break out of my chest. She might very well kill me just by kissing. _

Jane pulled Maura over to the sofa, glancing down to see where Bass was lurking. Bass had moved under the coffee table but he seemed to be watching the detective. Jane didn't want another scar. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to explain a scar from a turtle. Tortoise, she corrected herself.

"Come here." Jane pulled Maura onto her lap. She kissed the doctor again, her left hand supporting Maura's back and her right resting lightly on Maura's leg. Maura faced Jane, tangling her hands in Jane's hair.

"I never made out much when I was younger," Jane remarked. "It seems to be a lost art, somehow."

"Yes," Maura said. "You are good at it, though."

Jane chuckled. "I suddenly feel like a teenager."

"Is that good or bad?" Maura pulled back and looked at Jane in amusement.

"The only thing missing is expecting Ma or Pop to come in and bust us."

"I could call your mother…"

"Don't you dare!" Jane laughed. "I don't need my mother in here, wondering what we're doing and telling me to get my homework done." Maura laughed.

"What are we doing, Jane?" she whispered.

"I don't know, M. I've been watching you since you first came in. I want to know you better, kiss you like there's no tomorrow."

"I'm attracted to you too, Jane. So much so that when I told Korsak I kissed you and you got mad, I thought I'd lost you. I was afraid you couldn't forgive me."

Jane hesitated. She pulled Maura in for a quick, chaste kiss. "I am sorry, M. Let me explain. A while back I was in a serious relationship with Christine, who told everyone in the precinct everything about our dates. I got teased so badly I decided to keep my private life out of the precinct."

"And then I come along."

"Yes and you're gorgeous and I have feelings for you. Then you tell Korsak who comes upstairs to tease me. I became afraid I couldn't handle all of this, again. What if you turned out to be another Christine?" Jane said.

"I'm not. Jane, you don't have anything to worry about with me. I'll keep everything between us private. No one will know anything unless you tell them."

Jane kissed Maura and felt her phone buzz against her hip. She groaned.

"Uh oh, M, I think we have a case." Jane answered her phone. "Rizzoli."

In her bedroom Maura heard her phone ring. She got up and answered it. "Isles."

"We'll be right there," Jane answered. "Come on, Maura. Another body awaits."

Maura came out of her bedroom, her bag in hand. She reached out and took Jane's hand. "Come on, love, let's go."

"Love?" Jane asked quizzically.

"Yes, you don't look like a 'babe' or 'darling' to me. You look like a 'love.'" Maura reached up and kissed Jane's nose. "You're driving, aren't you?"

"Okay, but can we take your car?" Maura laughed.

"You've been dying to drive my car, haven't you?"

"It's almost as luscious as you are," Jane replied, taking the keys from Maura's hand. "Besides I have the address from dispatch."

The body was found on the edge of the park. Jane didn't like it. The park was a popular place for the neighborhood kids to play ball and use the playground equipment. Finding bodies in the old warehouse district or by the bay was one thing, finding a young man dead in the park was quite another. It was a breach of childhood innocence.

"Similar to the others, Jane," Maura said quietly. Jane paced behind her, checking out the perimeter. Frost was doing the same, a little farther away. Jane knew he didn't handle dead bodies too well.

"No cause of death?" Jane asked.

"Not until I get him back to the morgue and can complete the autopsy. Besides, if he's like the others we won't know anything until the tox screens come back."

"I don't understand, Maura. We're missing a vital piece of the puzzle here. We find the perps at the crime scene, arrest them, and they make a full confession. Then we find another body, same MO, everything. These must be connected in a larger way. Who could be masterminding this?" Jane jammed her hands in her pockets, frustrated.

"That's your line of expertise, Detective," Maura flashed a reassuring smile at Jane. "I'm going to have the body removed to the morgue and you can continue your gumshoe thing. May I have my keys, please?" Maura held out her hand.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'll ride with Frost back to the precinct. Here you go," Jane handed Maura her car keys. "Frost, I'll ride back with you, okay?" Jane turned to Maura. "I'll come down to the morgue when we get back, see how you're doing. I want to expand the perimeter, see if we can find anything else."

"Be careful, Jane," Maura said softly. Jane nodded and walked away. Maura started thinking of their makeout session just before the call came in. She knew as much as she was capable of love, she was falling in love with Jane Rizzoli. Maura pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed Laura. She wanted to make an appointment with her creator, see what she thought of this new development.

Jane drew a larger boundary for the perimeter and set the various uniforms in motion, checking every blade of grass, every shoe scuff in the dirt, looking for anything that might be connected to their case. Jane and Frost scanned the photos in his digital camera to see if any of the spectators looked familiar from other crime scenes. As this was happening Jane became aware of a man in a trench coat waiting by the baseball diamond. "Frost, you see the man standing over there?" Jane said while she continued to scan the photos.

"Guy in trench coat? Yeah, I've noticed him for several minutes now."

"He seems to be watching us and for some reason he looks familiar."

"I'll head over toward the men's room, make it obvious I need to use the facilities and we'll see what he does."

"I'll continue to expand the perimeter until I can slip behind the restroom building and come up behind him."

"See you in a few, partner," Frost replied and made off, making a large announcement to the uniform protecting the perimeter that he'd be back after using the men's room. Jane continued to watch the man while pretending to flip through the photos on the camera. Putting her head down she concentrated on making her way to the back of the restroom as unobtrusively as possible.

The man didn't seem to notice anything was amiss; he didn't move from his post, continuing to watch all of the uniforms and various detectives scour the crime scene. Frost came out of the men's room and rooted around in his pocket, like he was going to have a quick smoke. Jane moved around behind the man and made eye contact with Frost.

"Hey, buddy, do you have a light?" Frost asked the man. He hesitated for a moment then pulled his hand out of his pocket with his taser. Jane pulled her firearm and aimed it.

"Freeze! Boston PD!" she yelled. The man tased Frost quickly who slumped to the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head. He whirled around and tased Jane so quickly she didn't have time to fire. He pulled Jane over to the bushes, put plastic ties around her hands and dragged her off. Frost was on the ground, facing away from the man and Jane, oblivious to what was happening to his partner.

Two uniforms came running up, their service weapons drawn. They grabbed Frost, turned him over, checked to make sure he had no outward signs of trauma. Realizing he'd been tased they checked out the area. After several minutes Frost was able to sit up and speak.

"Rizzoli," he said weakly. The uniform tending the perimeter walked up. "Rizzoli checked in to the crime scene but I don't have any record of her leaving," he told the other officers. Both looked at Frost. He shook his head.

"Took her," he spit out before passing out on the ground. One uniform called for a bus while the other two radioed the precinct.

"Detective Rizzoli has been kidnapped," the one officer told dispatch. "We don't have a description of her kidnapper or the vehicle used."

Vince Korsak looked around the crime scene one last time, satisfied they covered all the applicable area. Realizing there was nothing more they could do here he walked over to tell the one uniform it was okay to release the area.

Except the officer was not at his post. Korsak looked around. Spotting several uniformed officers by the restrooms he walked over, ready to chew them out for leaving the scene, apparently for a bathroom break.

"Gentlemen, this is not the time to take a potty break," he scolded. One officer turned around.

"Hi, Detective Korsak, that isn't the problem," he said and moved out of the way as the EMT van pulled up, sirens running. Korsak looked down and saw Frost sprawled on the ground.

"What happened?" Korsak yelled. "Why didn't you come and get me? Where's Rizzoli?"

"Frost says she was kidnapped but we don't know anything more. I called it into dispatch and asked for a bus for Detective Frost."

"Good work. He's breathing, isn't he?" Korsak asked.

"Yes, sir. It looks like he might have been tasered."

"Son of a bitch. Do we have any idea what the vehicle looked like? Make or model, color anything?" Korsak asked, frustrated.

"No, sir, Detective Frost hasn't been able to give us much more," the officer responded. The EMTs loaded Frost onto a backboard and loaded him into the ambulance.

"Okay, I'll notify Lt. Cavanaugh and head back to the precinct. You can release the crime scene but we'll need boots on the ground to start asking people if they saw anything strange," Korsak said and sighed. He was anxious for Jane. He knew she could handle herself well but when an officer was taken all bets were off for a safe recovery.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. **

Chapter Nine

Korsak sat at his desk, frustrated. They had no leads as to Jane's kidnapper and no demands had been made. The uniformed officers and several other detectives scoured the neighborhood around the park but no one claimed to have seen anything. No car, no license plate, no idea where Jane had been taken or why. And now, to top it all off, he had to go downstairs to the morgue and tell Maura about Jane's kidnapping. He sighed. Pulling himself to his feet he shuffled over to the elevator.

"Hi, Vince," Maura greeted him with a smile. "You and Jane working on the case?" Korsak looked at her trusting eyes and hated for what he was about to say.

"We've had a development, Doc," Korsak started.

"That's wonderful! Any ideas as to the murderer's identity?"

"Doc, there's a problem."

"I'm sure you and Jane can figure everything out."

"Maura, Jane's been kidnapped." Maura stopped and stared at Korsak.

"What did you say, Vince?"

"Jane was taken from the crime scene. Frost was tasered as they circled a suspect and Jane was dragged away."

"Dragged away?" Maura repeated. She sagged down on her knees. Korsak was by her side in a flash, grabbing Maura's upper body and setting her down on a chair. She reminded Korsak of a rapidly deflating balloon.

"Yes, Frost was able to indicate where he and Jane stood. There was a man in a trenchcoat watching the crime scene. Frost said Jane noticed him and they decided to circle around him. We found drag marks where Jane would have come up behind him."

"I don't understand, Vince. Jane is such a wonderful detective, how could someone have gotten the jump on her?"

"We don't know, Doc. Frost was unconscious for several minutes and doesn't recall seeing anyone else. We don't know if there was a second person or if the one got lucky and overpowered Jane."

"Find her, Vince," Maura whispered. "I can't live without her."

Korsak returned to the bullpen to find Frost sitting at his desk looking sick.

"Frost why are you here? You need to be at home, resting."

"Jane's missing. She's my partner, that's what I'm doing here."

"We don't have anything, Frost. Go home and rest. When we do I'll call you."

Frost stubbornly shook his head. "I need to be here. I feel like I failed her, man."

"You didn't. It could just have easily been the other way around."

Frost didn't reply. He booted up his computer and began aimlessly searching records on the park and surrounding neighborhood.

Korsak sat at his desk, thinking. With no leads they could only continue working the young man's murder and hope something came up soon, or they were contacted by the kidnapper. Korsak checked his watch. One hour, thirty-nine minutes since they knew Jane had been taken. Korsak wondered once again where she was, if she was still alive. The longer the kidnapper waited to make contact, the worse it could be for Jane. He sighed. He loved Jane like a daughter. He knew if he ever had children he'd want his daughter to be just like Jane. He jumped up, grabbed his coffee mug and headed for the café. Maybe caffeine would help.

Down in the morgue Maura hadn't moved since Korsak brought her news of Jane's kidnapping. She felt like she'd been kicked and dragged around. What if something happens and she never returns? What if I never see her again? Maura knew she couldn't stand that happening. Reaching out for her phone she dialed Laura's number.

"Hi, Laura, I thought this phone call would bring better news but I had some bad news delivered," Maura said by way of greeting.

"Maura, what's wrong?"

"That detective I told you about, Jane? She and I were getting closer, but now…" Maura's voice trailed off as tears threatened.

"Maura, what happened to Jane? What do you mean the two of you were getting closer?"

"Jane got called out on a case earlier today. She stopped by my apartment and we were 'making out' as she called it." Maura could hear Laura chuckling.

"I love how you're learning the human way of life, Maura. Jane must be something."

"She's been kidnapped!" Maura managed to choke out.

"Oh, my, and your emotions are running over, aren't they, Maura?"

"I can't seem to control my amygdale and lacrimal glands."

"Do you want to come in for an exam?" Maura thought for a moment.

"Part of me wants to say yes but what if they find Jane in the meantime? I want to be there, Laura. I care for her very much."

"I can see that. Why don't you come in this morning and have one of the detectives notify you the minute they hear anything? You can leave directly from here."

"Sounds good, Laura. I'm on my way." Maura collected her things and notified Korsak of her appointment. He promised to be in touch the minute they were notified of anything regarding Jane. Maura didn't understand religion but she sent up a prayer anyway for Jane's quick and safe return.

Korsak sat in the café for awhile, drinking coffee and mulling over their options. The café was quiet at the moment; Stanley came in to take over for Angela, who was at home waiting word on her daughter. Korsak knew Frankie was with her. He hoped they'd have news soon.

Korsak sat there thinking. Suddenly he was reminded of what he saw Maura do the other day: hover several feet in the air without climbing stairs or a ladder. How did she do that? He wondered. His phone buzzed and Korsak answered.

"Hi, doc. No nothing new yet."

"Vince I'm making a quick trip to the doctor's office. I'm really upset and Laura can help me. Please let me know as soon as you hear anything at all about Jane."

"Sure doc, no problem. I hope everything works out at your appointment."

Korsak shut his phone and sat thinking. Making a quick decision to follow the doc he grabbed his jacket and made his way to the parking lot.

Korsak pulled out of the parking lot and followed at a safe distance. He watched Maura's Prius steadily drive up the street, in the left lane, minding the speed limit and watching for traffic. Korsak kept a safe distance although he had an alibi if Maura spied him following her: he'd merely say he was worried about her and wanted to make sure she got to her doctor's office safely.

A couple miles down the street Maura made a left turn and pulled into the parking lot of a large building. Pulling in behind her he followed as she went around the back, parked and entered the building. She didn't look around so Korsak felt safe that he wasn't noticed.

Korsak parked halfway down the lot and walked up to the building. He saw Maura sign in at the front desk. What kind of doctor's office has a security guard at the front? Korsak stepped back and took a look at the sign outside. The Cyborg Institute and The Thayer Cryogenics Lab. What the -? Korsak thought and returned to his car.

Frost went through all of the neighbors he could find but none had so much as an outstanding parking ticket. Next he checked the crimelogs for the park itself, but other than their victim being dumped nothing came up out of the ordinary. Bored he checked his email.

"I have Jane." Frost read the subject of an email from an unknown email address. He opened the email. "I have Jane. Click on the video if you want to see proof she's still alive." Frost clicked and was greeted by a picture of Jane swinging from a chain attached to a ceiling. _That looks like a warehouse_, he thought. Jane's body swung lazily around as if she were in a swing. Suddenly he saw a metal pipe come out of the corner of the video and strike Jane across the torso. She grunted. The video ended.

Frost texted Korsak of his find and started a search on the email address. He groaned as he realized it came from an internet café. Korsak called him.

"Hey Frost how credible is this video?" he asked and Frost told him.

"I'll forward it to you, Korsak. Did you call Maura?"

"Not yet, I called you first."

"I'll call the doc. It looks like a warehouse, Korsak. Maybe we can pull it apart and see if it's one of the newer warehouses or if it's the old district," Frost said. He texted Maura and went to work on the video.

"I'm in strange territory, Laura. I'm a cyborg yet I've developed feelings for Jane. Intense feelings."

"Think you're in love with her, Maura? How can you tell?"

"I think so. Laura, but all I have to go on is my emotions module. I know what to look for but the actual feelings are so strange. Why do you humans go through this?" Maura wanted to know. Laura laughed.

"Strange as it seems, Maura, we enjoy being in love, especially when those feelings are returned. It's an incredible feeling. When it lasts it's almost indescribable."

"What if Jane doesn't come back?" Maura whispered. It was the one question she wanted to address the most yet she held back until now.

"Life is uncertain for humans, Maura. She may not. But right now we can remain positive. Jane is a highly decorated homicide detective. She didn't get commendations for her work by being weak or not knowing what to do to stay alive."

"You're right, Laura. Wait, I have a text message from Frost." Maura read it and looked up at Laura in relief.

"The kidnapper made contact. He has a video of Jane, says it looks like she's being held in a warehouse somewhere."

"That could be the warehouse district, Maura. Did he say anything further?"

"No, just that contact had been made and they know she's still alive."

Laura looked at Maura for a moment. "Maura are you completely aware of all of your gifts?"

"Did you leave something new in the trunk of my car?"

"No, something inside you."

"Let's see, I accessed the climbing vines inside my hands; I found the hover shoes, what else is there?"

"You're not a cop, Maura. I'm not advocating you join the detectives in searching for Jane but you do have xray vision."

"I do?"

"Yes. You've not needed it before now." Maura stared at Laura in awe.

"Thank you, Laura. I can help search for Jane now!" Maura hopped off the exam table and hugged Laura. She practically danced out of the clinic.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. Sigh…**

Chapter Ten

Maura steered her car behind the first cluster of buildings and turned off the engine. She sat for a moment, looking around to orient herself to her surroundings and kind of "scope out" anyone else on the property.

Nothing. Maura couldn't hear anyone else walking on the property nor did she see anyone darting about. She wanted to get out of the car and examine each building on the site but knew in broad daylight she'd be noticed fairly quickly. Come to think of it, someone might be watching her right now. She grabbed her purse and rummaged around in it. Finding her lipstick Maura freshened up her lips, ran her fingers through her hair and restarted the car. If anyone saw her they would think she pulled off the road to primp for an upcoming rendezvous.

Maura watched her rearview mirror as she pulled back out on the road. Still nothing moved behind her. Thinking of her schedule for the rest of the day she made plans for that night. If she dressed in black and parked up the road she could use her hover shoes to carry her back and she could go through the buildings one by one…Maura felt her heart beat quicker as she thought of helping to find and free Jane.

Korsak sat at his desk, completely frustrated by search engines and inquiries. He kept looking for information on Thayer Cryogenics but their website was minimal. All further inquiries were required to be made in person after phoning for an interview. As for the Cryogenics Institute itself he found absolutely nothing. He glanced over at Frost, busy working on the video of Jane they received.

"Hey, Frost, how can I find out more information about a company if their website is minimal?"

"You can check other search engines, Korsak, see if they have anything. There are business publications, trade magazines, other databases that might have more information. Are you working on the case?" Frost replied.

"Uh, yeah. I need more information on a corporation."

"Really? It's tied to our case because we having zip squat on leads, Korsak."

"Okay, it isn't connected. I'm thinking of investing in the industry but I wanted more information."

"Which company is it?"

"Thayer Cryogenics." Frost gave Korsak a long look.

"You planning on having that hideous looking head of yours frozen for a future wakeup call, Korsak?"

"What do you mean, Frost?"

"Korsak, do you know what a cryogenics lab does?"

"Not really."

"Remember Ted Williams?"

"Yeah, his family wanted his head frozen…oh, I see what you mean. Is that all they do?"

"No, most cryo labs will do other lab tech type work or research depending on the nature of their funding. I wasn't aware of any local cryo labs trading on the stock exchange, Korsak."

"Maybe I'm wrong then Frost. But how can I find out more information on a company?"

"Again, Korsak, it's difficult if it's privately funded. The SEC only carries information on companies that are publicly traded or planning a future IPO. Articles in trade magazines or scientific journals might be your best bet."

"Thanks, Frost. So do we have anything new on Jane's whereabouts?"

"All bets are on the old warehouse district although Frankie suggested a new warehouse on Bay Street. We have a team going out there tonight. Care to join us?"

"Hell yes. Jane used to be my partner, of course I want in."

Maura finished her salad and carried her dishes to the sink. Rinsing them off and placing them in the dishwasher she made a mental list of her wardrobe for the evening. She had a pair of dark jeans she could wear and a turtleneck sweater. The footwear however proved a problem. Maura didn't own any athletic type of shoes. She knew Jane did but Jane's foot was quite a bit larger. She wanted to wear her hover shoes but wasn't sure how durable they might be for slogging about the old warehouse district. She didn't want to ruin them, especially if they proved valuable in rescuing Jane. _Hmm, maybe a pair of Jane's boots over my hover shoes? I'd need to be able to remove them quickly and easily if I need the shoes. Or can the shoes be activated through the boots? _Maura glanced at the clock and knew she didn't have enough time to email that question to Laura so she decided to try Jane's boots herself.

Maura approached Jane's apartment trying to look like she broke into the detective's apartment all of the time. She inserted her credit card between the lock and doorjamb, jiggled the knob and tried again. This time she inserted a skeleton key into the lock while using the credit card. The knob turned and Maura went inside.

_So this is what a detective's apartment looks like. _Maura inspected the interior. _Yes, it's vintage Jane. Red Sox memorabilia on the mantel, especially the David "Big Papi" Ortiz bobblehead doll, a Red Sox pennant on the wall, Celtics and Patriots player pictures rounding out the sports Jane loves. _Maura made her way to the bedroom and smiled. Two bedside lamps on each side table and a large comforter was the only decoration in the room. Maura continued to smile as she opened Jane's closet.

"Jane, Jane, Jane," Maura chided under her breath. Four pantsuits and several button down shirts graced the hangers, jeans and t-shirts were folded nicely on the floor. Jane had one pair of sneakers and two pairs of boots in the floor. Jane's closet looked like a third world country compared to Maura's large walk-in. She grabbed Jane's boots and sat down on the bed to try them on.

They slid on easily. Maura stood and nearly fell over. The boots were too big for Maura to walk in them. Reaching into her purse she pulled out the hover shoes, placed them on her feet and then slid into the boots. Perfect. Maura stood and moved around the room. The hover shoes took up enough of the slack so Maura could comfortably wear Jane's boots. Now, to answer her question, Maura kicked off one boot, then the other and kicked the heels of her hover shoes. She rose in the air just an inch. The boots landed a few feet in front of her.

That works, Maura thought. She sat down and put the boots back on, then clicked her heels together once again. A moment of delay then the hover shoes slowly kicked in, raising Maura about a half inch. She clicked them again and rose a little higher, again after a short delay. She thought for a moment then slipped the hover shoes back in her purse and tucked Jane's boots under her arm.

_Ready for liftoff, _she thought as she quietly exited Jane's apartment. _Everything is a go for this evening. Hang in there, love. _

Korsak watched the officers dressing for the evening's raid. All in black, as usual, with bulletproof vests in place. Korsak wore one as well, under his shirt and jacket. Korsak was still in the suit he wore to work. He glanced over at Frost who was also dressed in black. He was lead detective on the raid. He looked over at Korsak and nodded. All of them hoped this evening would be successful and Jane would be brought home, alive and in one piece.

Shortly before nine p.m. the team headed out, Frost in his unmarked cruiser with Korsak in the seat beside him. No one spoke. Frost was running over plans in his head while Korsak prayed for a successful raid. He wasn't sure he wanted the perp as much as he wanted Jane brought home first.

"Okay, Detective, team's in place," a voice crackled through Frost's radio.

"Let's go," Frost said to Korsak. They parked up the road and quietly walked back to the district. Although he couldn't see them he knew the whereabouts of every team member on the fences and roofs of surrounding buildings, ready to fire their weapons or invade at a moment's notice. Frost and Korsak walked onto the property and started inspecting the outer perimeter of the warehouse district.

Maura parked down the road a bit, preferring to sneak up to the warehouse district than circle back. She felt complete in her outfit: each tool had a place on her belt or in her pockets, available to be grabbed quickly and used as needed. Stopping once to catch her breath Maura let her eyes adjust to the nighttime sky. Nodding to herself she crept onto the property.

Walking up to the first warehouse she got as close as she could to the walls, found an opening and zeroed her eyes on the interior. It was quite dark. She strained her eyes once more. An open space with nothing but trash on the concrete floor she didn't see anything, not even a rat. Maura moved to the next warehouse. Same situation. Moving to her third warehouse she paused to listen for movement or screams. Not hearing anything Maura went on to the next.

After twenty minutes Maura had exhausted the outer perimeter of buildings and moved to the inside. _It makes sense to hold someone in one of the inner buildings, _she told herself. She thought she saw a light shining from inside one building. Pressing herself to the outside she looked inside, zeroing her vision. A lone man hunched over a desk in an office at the center of the warehouse, typing away. Nothing else in the building. Maura sighed and moved on.

"Frost, we have a figure in black lurking around the perimeter," one uniform radioed.

"Any idea as to who it might be?"

"No, it can't be anyone involved in Jane's kidnapping. The person goes from warehouse to warehouse, looking inside."

"It isn't one of ours?" Frost asked.

"No, I checked our team, everyone's perfectly in place."

"Okay. Where is this person now?"

"Just moved to the inner buildings. He's pressed himself up against one of the buildings, seems to look inside through a whole."

"I wonder what he could be looking for?" Frost wondered. Korsak listened to the radio calls through his earpiece and was becoming more uncomfortable by the moment. He wondered if they all didn't know who this person was.

"I don't want to jeopardize the mission, just keep me posted on his movements," Frost radioed back. Korsak walked up to him.

"What if it's Maura?"

"What in the hell would Dr. Isles be doing here, lurking around the buildings?" Frost asked. He stared at Korsak for a moment.

"Of course, she's looking for Jane, just like we are. Why in the hell doesn't she wait at home?" Frost asked. Korsak shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah, let me go get her," Frost said. He radioed the uniforms to stay in place and moved around to the back.

Maura moved to the innermost building and peered through the cracks in the siding. She was rewarded with a vision of someone hanging from the ceiling. _Jane_, she breathed the name. Looking up she wondered how she could get inside. Thrusting her palms forward the sinewy cables launched from the palms of her hands, and clicking her heels together she rose in the air to land on the ceiling.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to Tess Gerritesen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. I make no profit off of them.**

Chapter Eleven

Frost came around the corner of the building just as Maura made her leap. He looked up in amazement. Her name died on his lips as he couldn't understand what he just saw.

Maura was oblivious to Frost and the rest of the BPD task force. She retracted the cables into her palms and began looking for an air shaft or any other type of entrance into the warehouse. In the center of the roof she found a small opening. Prying open the lid Maura pulled it back and slithered inside. As she shut the lid her x-ray vision adjusted to the almost complete darkness.

It was an air shaft. Using her feet as her guides Maura flattened her hands against the sides of the shaft and cat-walked down the air shaft. She noticed more light coming up from the warehouse as she reached the end of the shaft. Turning herself around she listened for others. All she heard was breathing sounds she presumed were Jane's. They were harsh, as if the person breathing needed to take deeper breaths but couldn't. Maura's heart rate quickened as she thought of all the various injuries Jane could have that would cause that type of breathing.

_Focus, focus, focus. Get Jane out of here first and you can concentrate on helping her breathe later. Hang in there, love, _Maura repeated the phrase in her head as she concentrated on Jane's predicament.

Frost didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He wasn't able to make contact with Maura because she disappeared from the rooftop before he found his voice. He couldn't radio this close to the perimeter of the warehouse where Jane was being held because the force decided to maintain radio silence until the raid commenced. He couldn't tell anyone what he saw because he would be suspended from the force due to medical reasons. As in, "Frost lost it big time when he wet his pants from being tasered and never got it together after that." So Frost retreated back to his previous post and wondered what the hell he should say to the SWAT commander.

Rejoining Korsak, Frost decided to not say anything. The SWAT team needed his clearance to fire so Frost decided to make sure Maura Isles was protected or removed from the area before any serious moves were made.

Korsak noticed the stricken look on Frost's face as he rejoined him and wondered what the hell was wrong but didn't ask. At this point, concerning Maura, Korsak decided it was best to be left in the dark. He made a mental note not to shoot at any one dressed in black fitting Maura's description.

Maura studied the distance between the shaft and the beam where Jane was hanging from. Her heart skipped a beat each time she saw Jane's body swinging in the air so she tried to keep her mind on the task at hand.

Gauging the distance to be no more than fifty feet, Maura swung into action. She released the inside of the shaft and dropped quickly to the concrete floor. Not wishing to attract attention from Jane's kidnapper she clicked her heels together and rose off the floor a bit. Clicking them again she sped to Jane's side.

"Shh, Jane, it's me," Maura whispered. Jane whimpered.

"I'm going to climb up your body and turn you loose. Don't worry I'll catch you," Maura whispered and began to work.

Frost listened intently to the interior of the warehouse. Counting down to the original launch time he gave the signal and silently moved forward, Korsak following. The SWAT team fanned out a little more, encircling the warehouse. No one would have a chance to escape without notice and capture.

Maura continued to work on freeing Jane. The chains that bound the detective to the wooden beam were intertwined with each other making a quick escape almost impossible. Maura could also see the redness and blood trickling down Jane's arms from where the chains dug into Jane's wrists. Suddenly Maura heard a door open on the other side of the warehouse and paused briefly, listening. Strong steps clicked on the concrete floor. Maura felt trapped. She wanted to free Jane before tangling with her kidnapper.

"Jane, trust me," Maura said. She released her hold on Jane's chains and scampered onto the detective's back. Smaller than Jane, Maura held onto the other woman's back and scrunched her legs up. In the darkness or even with a flashlight Maura knew the man coming their way would have some difficulty seeing Maura at first. Maura wanted to use that element of surprise to overcome the man if possible.

A flashlight shone over Jane's body. "What the hell is this?" Maura heard a voice. The flashlight was directed over Jane's torso. Maura realized too late that her boot was caught in Jane's pocket and her foot could be seen. She had to act quickly.

Maura swung her left arm out around Jane's body and launched her cable. It caught in the man's neck just as he raised his firearm toward Jane. The cable attachment dug into the man's neck and he screamed. Dropping his weapon she fell to the concrete floor. The weapon discharged when it hit the floor.

In place Frost fired toward the shot just as Korsak yelled "No!" All of the warehouse doors were thrust open and the SWAT team swarmed in. Officers surrounded Jane and worked their flashlights so they could see what was going on.

Frost advanced with his weapon held high. He saw the figure on the floor, groaning and thrashing around. Korsak advanced with Frost and nodded at Frost to go ahead and cuff the man. Two other SWAT team members and uniforms came forward and started climbing the beam to get Jane down. As he rolled the man onto his stomach and cuffed him Frost thought of Maura.

"Korsak you see the doc anywhere?" he asked.

Korsak shook his head. "No, not yet." He swept his flashlight across the floor. A few feet away lay a crumpled figure matching Maura's description.

"Dr. Isles!" Frost called. He ran over to Maura just as Jane was being released from her chains. "Maura…" Jane called out weakly. She passed out on the concrete.

"We need a bus, two victims, STAT," Korsak radioed. As Frost reached Maura she groaned lightly. Gingerly he rolled her over onto her back. A small amount of blood trickled from her upper arm.

"GSW left upper extremity," Frost called out to the paramedics. He nodded to Jane. "Kidnap victim, just released, injuries unknown."

"How long down?" one EMT asked. Frost nodded to Maura.

"Five minutes max." Nodding to Jane he answered, "She's been held captive approximately twenty-eight hours. Presume no food or water, we do know she took some blows to the mid-torso and ribcage."

Two stretchers were brought in. As Maura was loaded onto one she saw Jane lying prone on the concrete.

"Jane, are you okay?" the doctor anxiously called out.

"She'll be fine, doc, you know Jane," Frost said. Maura felt dizzy. Trying to lie back against the stretcher she felt the burning pain in her arm. "I can't go to the emergency room-" Maura tried to say as she passed out. Frost nodded to the EMTs to go ahead and load the doc in the ambulance. He looked over and saw Jane being loaded onto her stretcher.

"Are you going with them, Korsak?"

"Yes," Korsak answered quickly and jumped into the passenger seat of the ambulance. "I'll call Frankie and let him know so he and Angela can meet us at the hospital."

"I'll be there as soon as we wrap this up here," Frost said and turned his attention to the man on the concrete floor. He waved off the EMTs, explaining that the man's injuries were not life-threatening. He intended to question Jane's kidnapper before allowing him to go anywhere.

Maura opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She stared up at ceiling tiles and bright white lights. Her turtleneck sweater had been removed and a hospital gown covered her upper half. Her right arm was strapped to a board with an IV in her arm; her left arm was extended out, a gauze bandage covering her wound. She heard a nurse in the background, arguing.

"I'm telling you this equipment is not working properly," the nurse argued with someone over the phone. "I'm trying to take a chest x-ray of a patient and getting nothing but pictures of wires. This is crazy. Your company manufactured faulty equipment." The nurse sighed in frustration as she slammed the phone down. She looked up and saw Maura watching her.

"I'm sorry Ms. Isles we're having a problem with some of the equipment. One of the orderlies has been sent to the OR to bring back another portable chest x-ray machine. When he gets here we'll be able to take your chest x-ray before sending you to OR to have your bullet removed."

"Is that what happened to my arm?"

"Yes. You must have lost consciousness and that's why you don't remember getting shot."

"I've never been shot at before so I wasn't sure what it felt like."

"A tremendous burning sensation, like someone stuck a hot poker under your skin?"

"Yes, exactly," Maura answered. The nurse nodded.

"That's what all the cops who've been shot say it feels like. I'm a nurse, I prefer to be on this end of the action." The nurse smiled at Maura. At the mention of cops Maura remembered Jane had been brought in.

"Is Detective Rizzoli okay? I think she was in the same ambulance."

"She is. She's a little bruised with a couple of fractured ribs but she'll make a full recovery."

"No surgery for her?"

"No, just for you, Ms. Isles. I'm beginning to think Detective Rizzoli has a bullet-riddled guardian angel following her. We had to start a new chart; the first one was too large."

"Doctor."

"Hmm?"

"I'm Doctor Isles, the chief medical examiner."

"Oh, right. Sorry, Dr. Isles. I'll mark your chart. Do you have any allergies to any medicines?"

"None known," Maura replied. As the nurse moved in to take her vital signs once again Maura discreetly looked around the hospital room she was in.

"Am I still in the emergency department?" she asked.

"Yes, sorry, but we didn't want to move you to the OR before we got that chest x-ray."

"I understand. You're looking for residual damage before operating so that I don't unexpectedly bleed out when a procedure is started."

"Yes, but your vital signs are not good, Dr. Isles. I'm going to go see what is taking that orderly so long to bring that portable machine. You rest here, I'll be right back." As the nurse closed the door behind her Maura sat up. She waited for a minute to see if anyone else came in as well as to let her head adjust to being upright. When no one came in and she felt stronger Maura pulled off the hospital gown. She saw her turtleneck sweater on a chair in the corner and she grabbed it, pulling it on as she opened the door and checked for hallway traffic.

All clear. Maura moved down the hall at an efficient pace, heading for the stairwell at the end of the hallway. She had to get out of here before the surgeons opened her up and noticed that the wiring on the chest x-ray actually existed inside her chest.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, they are the sole property of Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT.**

Chapter Twelve

Korsak paced the waiting area in the emergency room, torn between checking on Maura and waiting for news of Jane. Frankie led Angela into the hospital and he rushed to greet them.

"The doctor hasn't been out yet so we don't know anything," he said. Frankie nodded and hugged Angela close. He helped her into a chair and took her hand.

"Angela, let me get you some coffee," Korsak said. He went down the hall to the vending machine.

"Listen, we have a woman here who is waiting surgery for a GSW. Your damn machine keeps taking pictures of its own interior! We keep getting nothing but wires and such!" Korsak heard a nurse yell into the phone. He spilled coffee over his hand, startled to realize she must be speaking about Maura.

"Uh oh," Korsak muttered to himself. He refilled the coffee cup and began looking for Frost on his way back to the waiting area.

"Angela, here's your coffee," he handed Angela the cup and looked up in time to see Frost head down the hallway. Korsak hurried after him.

"Frost!" Korsak called out as loudly as he dared. Frost spun around.

"Hey, Korsak, I was looking for word on Jane and the doc."

"No word yet but we need to get Maura out of here." Korsak grabbed Frost's arm and headed for the stairwell.

"Where the hell are we going, Korsak? What's up man?"

"We have to help Maura. They're trying to take an x-ray of her chest before taking her to surgery." Korsak stressed his words, trying to understand how much Frost understood of Maura's situation. Frost's facial expression finally changed.

"Oh," was all he said.

"You understand?" Korsak asked.

"Enough to know Maura can't have an x-ray taken here."

"No, not at a hospital for people." Frost looked confused.

"So where do we take her, Korsak? To a vet?"

"No, Frost, get a grip. To the Cyborg Institute. I saw Maura go over there the other day and I followed her."

"I knew this afternoon there was something strange going on."

"Yeah, but we have to find Maura."

"I'm right here." Korsak looked down the stairwell and saw Maura huddled two flights down He ran down to see about her.

"Doc are you all right?"

"Not really. I have enough blood in my system to create a problem with a gun shot wound. I couldn't stay in there." Maura's conversation cut off as she groaned and slumped forward clutching her injured arm.

"Frost!"

"Yeah, right here. Okay, Doc, we're going to carry you downstairs to Korsak's car."

"We'll take you to the Institute. Is anyone there this time of night?"

"Usually Dr. Ross is there. She's the one who designed and created me." Maura looked up at Korsak.

"How did you find out?"

"I saw you levitating in the warehouse the other day so I followed you."

"And I saw you fly up to the roof this afternoon."

"I don't know what to say," Maura said. "Do you need me to explain anything?"

"I think for right now we'll assume you're a cyborg and leave it at that."

"Does Jane know?" Maura asked. The two men looked at each other.

"Not unless you told her, Doc," Frost said.

"By the way, how are we going to explain this? A GSW victim has to stay in the hospital until interviewed by the police."

"I'll figure something out. She is the chief medical examiner, Frost, maybe I'll just say I took her away to help out on a case," Korsak said.

"Sounds fishy."

"Well while the doc here gets patched up at the Institute you can help me run through excuses."

Dr. Ross was indeed in her office at the Institute. She met Maura and the two detectives at the front door and led the way to the lab. She placed Maura on her examining table and escorted Frost and Korsak to the waiting area.

"It shouldn't take me too long, gentlemen, thank you for bringing her in."

"I have a quick question, Dr. Ross. Does Maura have problems like humans do, in this type of situation? You know, loss of blood, tissue damage, things like that?" Korsak asked.

"On a limited basis, yes. You noticed Maura was dizzy and about to pass out when you brought her in? She has some tissue damage but it can easily be repaired. As for blood loss, we're not sure how extensive the problem would be if a cyborg were to bleed out. We've never lost one yet."

"Thanks, Doc. Frost you go back to the hospital, tell Jane I'm still at the crime scene, if she's awake. I'll stay here with Maura."

"Okay, Korsak. I'll be at the precinct bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Donuts are on me, Frost."

"How about bagels instead? They're a better breakfast alternative."

"Says the man who works out almost non-stop," Korsak muttered under his breath.

"It beats that spare tire you're carrying, Korsak."

"Just go, Frost."

Jane awakened aware of a nagging pain in her side. She found the call button and pushed it. A nurse materialized at her side.

"Yes, Detective, what can I do for you?"

"What are the extent of my injuries and how long do I have to stay here?"

"I'll let the doctor know you're awake, he can explain everything to you." At the mention of the word doctor Jane remembered something.

"Was a Dr. Maura Isles brought here?"

"Yes, Detective she was."

"Is she okay?" Jane asked. The nurse hesitated.

"I'll let the doctor fill you in on Dr. Isles," the nurse said and started to leave the room. Fear coursed through Jane. What weren't they telling her?  
>"No! Tell me now! Is she dead?" Jane barely remembered seeing Maura fall when a gunshot sounded through the warehouse.<p>

"No, Detective, she isn't dead," the nurse said. "But because of privacy issues I cannot discuss her condition with you."

"Okay, thanks nurse," Jane replied, relieved. The nurse left the room to call the doctor. Jane found herself examining the ceiling tiles, wondering how many hospital rooms she'd inhabited in this hospital. The nagging pain was getting worse and she wondered how many new scars she'd have.

The nurse called the doctor for Jane and went back down the hallway to the examining room where Dr. Isles waited for her chest x-ray. She wanted to tell the doctor they were just about to take her up to surgery where a working portable unit had been found. The nurse opened the door and stopped short.

Aside from the hospital gown Maura had worn there was no sign of the medical examiner save for a short dribble of blood on the floor. The nurse sighed. She went back to the nurse's station to notify security of a missing GSW patient.

"Hello, Detective Rizzoli, it's nice to see you with your eyes wide open," the doctor smiled at her. "I'm Dr. Williams. I took care of you when you were brought in to emergency and I'll be following your case."

"How long?"

"How long what, Detective? How long were you unconscious? That depends on how long you were held captive. You were unconscious when you were first brought in."

"No, how long before I get out of here?"

"Don't you like our accommodations, Detective?" the doctor joked.

"No I just want to be able to get back to work. I also want to see Maura."

"Hmm, Dr. Isles, yes, well that might prove problematic. Dr. Isles went AMA this morning so we had to alert security and the Boston PD."

"Why did she go AMA? What are her injuries, Doctor?"

"A minor gun shot wound to the arm, Detective, nothing major. We were waiting for a working portable chest x-ray unit before taking her to the OR. When we found one and returned to her room she'd left."

Jane struggled to sit up and breathe at the same time. "Doc, that isn't Maura. She would never leave like that, particularly if she were hurt."

"Tell that to Dr. Isles."

"Has security checked the hospital? Are you sure she isn't unconscious and bleeding in a rest room or stairwell?"

"Our security staff is making a full inspection of the hospital, Detective, so yes we're looking for her. Now why don't we discuss you?"

"No, I want to find Maura. She can't be far away." Jane tried to swing her legs over the side of the bed but felt faint. She collapsed back against her pillow.

"As you can see, Detective Rizzoli, you're not in any condition to go anywhere. Let me check your vitals then we can resume our conversation."

Jane watched the doctor for a few moments. However the thoughts running through her mind concerned Maura and why she might have left. What Jane didn't admit to, also, was the scene she kept replaying in her thoughts: her kissing Maura and how much she enjoyed it.

"Okay, Detective, you're making progress. You have two fractured ribs and severe contusions of the chest and back. You're also dehydrated so we've started you on IV fluids. A day, maybe two, then we'll discuss you're leaving us." The doctor smiled and left. Jane returned to her thoughts.

_Maura suffered a gunshot wound, why would she leave the hospital? Why didn't she come to me? That's it, _Jane decided, _Maura is probably trying to find me. She's probably in a rest room somewhere and needs my help. _Jane reached up and grabbed her IV pole. _I'll just go for a little walk and look for Maura on my own. _

Maura opened her eyes sleepily and looked at Laura. "How am I?" she asked. Laura chuckled.

"As good as new. And an improvement, I might add. You didn't ask me if I'm your mother."

"I didn't, did I?" Maura said. She was pleased to know Laura found the glitch in her wiring.

"There's a Detective Korsak waiting for you," Laura said. Maura looked panicked.

"How much does he know?"

"I think pretty much everything, Maura. Don't worry it isn't a black mark against your reputation, you being a cyborg."

"Jane doesn't know Laura and I want to be the one to tell her."

"Then return to the hospital and talk to her."

"Oh my goodness, Jane's hurt. I need to be with her." Laura helped Maura off the table. Maura adjusted her clothes and went to find Korsak. She wanted to go back to the hospital and see Jane now.

TBC Just for clarification AMA means "against medical advice." A person can leave the hospital without being discharged by their treating doctor however, a gunshot victim is obligated to stay until the police have interviewed him or her to determine the circumstances for criminality.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. The new pup needed to train me so we've been busy. He walks me, teaches me when to feed him, and is also making sure I know not to leave anything where his mouth can find it…

Chapter Thirteen

"Let's go, Detectives," Maura said briskly as she entered the waiting area. Korsak and Frost stood up.

"Where exactly are we going to, Doc?" Frost asked.

"I want to go back to the hospital and see Jane."

"How?"

"Through the front entrance?" Maura replied, puzzled.

"I don't think so, Doc. You left AMA with a GSW to an upper extremity. You can't just march in and ask for Jane at the visitors' desk."

"I guess you're right," Maura answered, disappointed.

"We can disguise you, I guess," Frost said hesitantly. Korsak patted him on the back.

"That's an excellent idea, Frost!" he said. "You take Maura back to the precinct and get her a disguise."

"We'll have to sneak in through the morgue."

"I can hide in my office and change in there. What kind of disguise do you have in mind, Detective Frost?"

"I'll have to see what we have in your size, Doc," Frost said but he had an uneasy feeling. The last disguises he remembered seeing were for the prostitute sting on Bay Street.

Jane checked every bathroom on the floor, even the men's rooms, to no avail. Growing more frustrated as well as extremely tired she resorted to sticking her head in every room.

"Who are you?" an older man snarled as Jane opened his door.

"Hospitality committee. Are you comfortable?" she asked. Glancing around quickly she didn't see Maura and started to close the door behind her.

"I just had prostate surgery, how the hell do you think I feel?" the man snapped.

"I'll inform the staff," Jane said.

"You do that honey," he snarled as the door closed.

_I hate being called honey, _Jane thought as she shuffled to the next doorway.

"Oh good, a visitor," an elderly woman smiled at Jane as she peeked in.

"No I'm just looking for someone," Jane said.

"Aren't we all, dear?" the woman smiled again.

"A friend of mine is wandering around the hospital and I am trying to locate her," Jane said.

"It isn't the friend who's behind you is it?"

"What?" Jane said, whirling around but seeing nothing but her IV pole.

"I don't see anyone," Jane said.

"It's the tall gentleman behind you. You're holding his hand. That is his hand you're holding isn't it?" the woman said, squinting.

"There isn't anyone here, I have my IV pole," Jane explained. She backed out of the room wondering if the lady had any extra medication to spare. It seemed to Jane she'd taken it all at the same time. Or is ready for the looney bin, Jane thought. Growing more tired she decided to stop in the next women's room and regroup.

Frost adjusted the last of Maura's "bling" and checked his handiwork. Maura retouched her makeup and looked at Frost.

"How do I look?" she asked. Frost chuckled.

"Like a cross between a 20s era flapper and the baddest madam in the west."

"Think I'll pass?"

"I don't know what you'll pass for, Doc, but the hospital won't recognize you. Jane may not either."

"I'll tell her who I am." Frost stopped for a moment.

"And tell her you're a cyborg when she thinks you're moonlighting in the local red light district? Jane may ask for extra medication when she hears that one."

"I'll be fine," Maura said, tossing the end of her feather boa over her shoulder. "Let's go."

The emergency department settled down somewhat. Security kept a lookout for Maura while the tech team for the chest x-ray machines made a courtesy house call to recertify their equipment. Jane's nurse went in to check on her now quiet patient and to bring in her lunch tray. Noticing Jane's bed was empty she returned to the desk.

"Nancy did bed 3A have a test scheduled for this morning?" she asked the other nurse on duty.

"No, I don't think so, Delia. Why, is something wrong?"

"Detective Rizzoli seems to have taken her IV pole for a spin. She isn't in her room."

"Did you check her bathroom? Maybe she decided to try and take a shower."

"You're probably right, Nancy. Let me check."

Delia came right back out of Jane's hospital room to notify the nurse's station that one of their patients was missing.

"She isn't in the bathroom. Anyone see her pass by?" Delia asked. All of the other nurses shook their heads. Delia sighed. Some days it didn't pay to get out of bed, she thought.

"All right, let me notify security. Somehow I always think a detective and a chief medical examiner should be easy patients but they never are." Delia picked up the phone and dialed.

Jane rested her head against the stall door. She was so tired but didn't want to give her up search for Maura. _Maura, where are you? I'm worried that you're injured and can't speak for yourself or get help. Tell me where you are and I'll come get you_, Jane thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Maura walked through the hospital doors, clutching Frost's arm and keeping her eyes down. Frost approached the visitor's desk just as the phone rang. He waited while the volunteer checked her roster of patients and made a couple of notes.

"We're here to see Jane Rizzoli," he asked. She scanned the list.

"Yes, she's on the fourth floor, room 3 bed A. You'll need a visitor pass, both of you," the volunteer's voice trailed off as she looked at Maura closely. Handing both passes to Frost she gaped at Maura. Maura smiled as pleasantly as she could. Thanking the woman Frost led Maura to the elevators. He turned back slightly, just enough to see the volunteer nudging another woman and pointing to Maura. The elevator came quickly enough so Frost didn't have to overhear their conversation. He knew he and Maura made a strange pair.

Exiting on the fourth floor Frost and Maura walked quickly up to the nurse's station. Maura once again kept her eyes down, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the nurses she saw earlier that day.

"Excuse me is Detective Rizzoli available for visitors?" Frost asked.

"I'm sorry we've lost her," the nurse replied. Frost stared. Maura's head snapped up. Suddenly a wail came from Maura.

"NO! JANE!" Maura screamed and made a beeline for Jane's hospital room.

"What happened?" Frost snapped. He pulled out his shield and identified himself to the nurse on duty.

"Detective you must control your wife, she cannot scream like that in a hospital," the nurse snapped at Frost.

"Detective Rizzoli is dead you tell us this very coldly and expect her friends to not react like that?" Frost yelled.

"Who said anything about dead? I said we lost her, that's all. Detective Rizzoli took her IV pole and is wandering around somewhere. We're trying to find her. Now go control your wife."

"She isn't my wife."  
>"Yeah I'd rethink that decision myself, if I were you," the nurse scowled at Frost and went into Jane's room.<p>

Maura was lying across Jane's empty bed, crying.

"And I didn't even get to see you one last time," she sobbed.

"Miss, get up, please. I didn't mean to mislead you," the nurse said. Maura looked up at Frost.

"Jane isn't dead she's wandering the hospital. The nurse meant they literally lost her around here somewhere," Frost said. Maura stood and wiped her face. Frost dug in his pocket for a handkerchief and handed it to Maura.

"Dr. Isles?" the nurse asked. Maura gasped. Frost grabbed her arm.

"She's with me, nurse, no need to worry."

"Worry? She has a wound that needs minor surgery to close."

"A friend of mine took care of it," Maura said, raising her sleeve just enough to show the edge of a bandage to the nurse. As she replaced her sleeve and followed Frost from the room Maura sent a silent thank you to Laura who decided a bandage might make a wonderful coverup since a cyborg didn't require stitches.

Jane dozed on and off. Her dreams were all of chasing after Maura. Just as Jane saw her somewhere and was about to meet up with her Maura disappeared again. Periodically Jane awoke noting her discomfort since her head slanted to the side and rested on the stall door but she couldn't wake up enough to take herself back to bed.

"Jane!" Maura called gently around corners, in janitor's closets and in the stairwells. "I don't see her."

"Me either. Let's check with security," Frost said. He dialed the security chief's cell number.

"They've been alerted and are also looking for her."

"Frost you don't think Jane walked into surgery by mistake do you?"

"No, Maura, I don't think patients walk into surgery under any circumstances. Most of them are carried in on a hospital bed."

"Oh. It isn't like that for me." Maura walked over to a hospital room and knocked at the closed door. An extremely disgruntled man yelled at them to go away.

"He's unpleasant," Maura remarked, backing away.

"I'll ask," Frost said. He opened the door and approached the man. Flashing his shield he asked if the man had seen another patient wandering the floor with her IV pole.

"Yeah said she was the hospitality committee," the man grunted. Frost thanked him and left.

"She's been this way," Frost said. Maura walked into the next room.

"Goody, two visitors in one day," the woman said.

"Did a woman with an IV pole come in here?" Maura asked politely.

"Yes but I thought it was a tall gentleman that came with her," the woman looked from Maura to Frost. "My but you two are colorful."

"Ma'am could this gentleman be an IV pole?" Frost asked.

"That's what she said. I thought it was a man and she was holding hands with him but she said it was a pole. I thought she meant she was holding something else and calling it a pole. What some people won't do to get a little attention," the woman said. Maura smiled and left. Frost held back his laughter until they were in the hallway.

"At least I'm glad she's in the hospital," Frost said.

"Maybe they'll get her more treatment," Maura contributed.

"Or a little less medication."

Maura moved to the restroom door. "Let me peek in here Frost then we can check back with the nurse's station. They've probably found Jane by now."

Jane's dream took a violent turn. She saw Maura at the end of the hallway, in the grasp of a tall man with an evil look about him.

"Maura, no, no! Run!" Jane screamed. Maura hesitated at the door. Did she hear a voice? Checking under the stall doors she saw a pair of feet sitting sideways.

"Hello?" Maura asked. No reply.

"Maura, get away!" Jane screamed in her dream and in reality. Maura turned to Frost.

"Get a nurse and a wheelchair, Frost. We've found Jane."

"Jane, I'm here honey," Maura tried the stall door. It was blocked. "Jane, I need to open your door. Are you conscious?" Maura asked. Frost came in.

"I called the nurse's station and chief of security. They're on their way. Let me slide under the door, Maura. Jane may be blocking it."

"Good idea, Frost, I don't want to knock her in the floor." Frost slid under the door.

"Yes she's leaning against it. Here, let me hold Jane and unlock the stall door," Frost said. Just as he opened the door Jane opened her eyes. She saw Frost holding her close and Maura standing in front of her.

"Hi guys. Hey Maura, is it Halloween already? How long have I been here?"

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Two days later Jane was discharged from the hospital. After a short discussion Jane agreed to go home with Maura; at least she didn't have to go home with her mother hovering over her, she thought.

Jane was a little uncomfortable with being a guest in Maura's home. After all, despite their kisses she didn't know what she was to Maura. A friend? Lover? (Jane felt a delicious shiver roll down her spine when she thought of that word in relation to the gorgeous Dr. Isles). Jane knew they needed to talk about their relationship status sometime soon.

Maura watched Jane out of the corner of her eye. She knew the detective was nervous about something by the way Jane kept shifting in her seat. She reached over and patted Jane's knee.

"Maura! Keep your eye on the road!" Jane cried out. Maura's touch to her knee left her feeling…well, amorous, to be blunt. Jane wasn't sure she liked that feeling especially since she didn't know how Maura really felt about her.

"I always keep two eyes on the road, Jane, I have to. They're a pair. I don't have the ability to have one go to the right and one to the left at the same time," Maura replied matter-of-factly. She tucked that thought away in her mind to bring up to Laura next time she had an exam at the institute. Having two eyes work independently of the other seemed like a good idea. At the very least it could unnerve a potential suspect and catch them off guard. Maura liked the idea.

"Hey why were you dressed like a hooker at the hospital?" Jane asked. Maura hesitated.

"I'll answer that when we get you home."

"Why not answer it now?"

"It's complicated, Jane."

"I fail to see how you dressing up as a hooker is complicated, Maura. Were you assisting Frost in a sting?" Jane asked although she hoped not. If Maura answered in the affirmative she was planning on reaming Frost for using a civilian police employee in the wrong arena.

"No, but it is complicated Jane and is best addressed at home."

Twenty minutes later Maura parked the car and Jane stepped gingerly into Maura's house. It was as she remembered it. Maura carried Jane's bag inside and hesitated before setting it inside the guest room. Jane plopped herself down on the sofa and kicked off her shoes.

"We're here," Jane said.

"Yes we are. Care for a drink?" Maura asked. A little nervous she wanted everything just so when she sat with Jane for this conversation.

"No, I'm fine." Jane patted the sofa next to her. "Come sit next to me."

Maura perched lightly on the edge of the sofa. She refused to meet Jane's eyes. After a moment Jane reached out and touched Maura's arm.

"We need to talk," Jane said softly.

"I know."

"Where do we start?" Jane asked. Maura remained silent.

"Maura, this is difficult for me to say so I'll just say it right out. I have feelings for you."

"I have feelings for you too, Jane. You're my best friend."

Jane hesitated then said, "My feelings for you go beyond friendship, Maura."

"How do you mean?"

"I'm falling in love with you, Maura. I want to know how you feel about me and if these feelings of mine are the same for you."

"How does being in love make you feel, Jane?"

"Maura, I'm not a damn experiment or a psych case. For crying out loud I just told you I'm in love with you." Maura was confused. How did romantic love differ from friendship? The she remembered accessing her emotions module.

"Oh. You want to have intercourse with me," Maura stated.

"Wow. We went from feelings to friendship to sex in record time, Maura."

"Shall I turn down my bed? I put your bag in the guest room but you are more than welcome to join me in my room, Jane."

Jane took a deep breath. "I think we need to take a breather, Maura. I've changed my mind, I'll have a drink."

Maura started taking deep breaths. She watched Jane get up and go into the kitchen and heard her rummaging around in the refrigerator. Letting out a particularly long breath she stood to join Jane in the kitchen.

"Here, the beer is behind the milk, on the top shelf, Jane. I'll pour myself some wine." Maura continued taking deep breaths.

"Maur, are you okay? You're on the verge of hyperventilating."

"I'm taking a breather, Jane, like you said."

Jane spit beer out over the kitchen. "Maura, you don't have to take everything I said so literally. I wanted a break in our conversation so I could get something to drink. You assumed I want to sleep with you and I wanted to change the subject."

"So you don't want to sleep with me, Jane?" Maura was confused. Wasn't sexual relations one of the cornerstones of a romantic relationship?

"Let's start over, Maura. Come on, sit back down." Jane reclaimed her seat on the sofa and pulled Maura down to sit next to her.

"I asked you earlier why you were dressed as a prostitute at the hospital. Were you assisting Frost in a sting?"

"No, we used it as a disguise to get me back in the hospital."

"Why, are you their number one enemy?"

"Maybe, I don't know, although I think being classified as the number one enemy of a hospital is a bit harsh, Jane."

"Stop, Google. Why couldn't you walk in the hospital as Dr. Isles?"

Maura hesitated. She sipped her wine and contemplated what to say next.

"Can I get back to you on that one, Jane? I want to answer your other comment first."

"Why?"

"I want to tell you how you make me feel, Jane. Then I'll answer the other question." Jane watched Maura's facial expressions for a minute then relaxed against the back of the sofa.

"Go ahead."

_Here goes nothing, _Maura thought. "I love you too, Jane and not just as a friend."

_Finally, _Jane thought.

"But you may change your mind about me."

"I doubt that, Maura."

"Did you ever have a friend in school, Jane, that was so different from the others that no one could possibly foresee a friendship with him or her?"

"No. Where are you going with this, Maura?"

"You know I'm socially awkward."

"Yes." Jane drew out the word.

"There's a good reason for that, Jane."

"I know. You were adopted by parents that were older and set in their own lifestyle. You know they love you but they weren't active in your life. Being wealthy they chose to have you raised by a succession of nannies."

"Not exactly."

"What? You're the offspring of a crime boss, Maura?" Jane chuckled.

"No. I don't know any crime bosses, Jane."

"Maura, out with it. Quit beating around the bush. I told you I love you, am in love with you. I don't see any reason why we can't be together."

"I don't have a lot of experience with emotions, sex, romance, whatever you want to call it, Jane."

Jane observed Maura for a moment. Maura was tugging on the ring she wore on her right hand, twisting it around her finger. Jane reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I don't sleep around either, Maura. I've never been good at long-term relationships so if that's what you're worried about, we'll get through this together." Jane's words were lost on Maura. She continued to sit and twist her ring around her finger. Jane watched her for a moment then thought of something else that may be the root of Maura's unease.

"Maura, you're not a…" Jane broke off the sentence.

"A what, Jane?" Maura practically held her breath. Had the detective figured her out already?

"You're not a virgin, are you Maura?" Maura let out her breath.

"No, Jane, well, yes actually I am but only because I'm a cyborg."

"You're a cyborg. Well that answers a lot of questions," Jane deadpanned. She shifted in her seat.

"Let me get another beer. I think I need more fortification for this conversation." Jane came back quickly.

"Look, Maura, there's obviously something bothering you and you don't want to discuss it with me. That's fine. You can tell me everything when you're ready. But what does this have to do with why you were dressed as a hooker at the hospital?"

"But I did tell you what was bothering me, Jane. I love you, too, but Laura told me when she created me that I might have difficulty fitting in with humans because I'm not like you."

"Are you from Mars, Maura?"

"No, Jane, the institute."

"If I didn't know any better, Maura, I would swear that someone changed my meds on me. Are we actually having a conversation about you being a cyborg or am I in bed dreaming all of this?"

Maura took Jane's hand in hers. "Does this feel real, Jane?"

"Yes. But how do I know you didn't take my hand while lying next to me in bed and I incorporated it into my dream?" Jane asked.

Maura pinched Jane's arm. "Feel that?"

"Yes, so we really are sitting on your sofa talking about you being a cyborg."

"Yes, that's what I wanted to tell you, Jane. I love you. I think you're an exquisite creature and I want to experience all that a physical relationship can offer. With you."

Jane sat there listening to Maura's words. On one level her body reacted on its own accord to Maura's comment; her mind was stuck on the word 'cyborg.'

"I'm afraid I'm scaring you." Maura spoke softly. She glanced down at their hands entwined and noticed how strong the detective really was.

"What exactly is a cyborg, Maura?"

"I'm a machine in a human body, Jane. I was created in a lab at the Cyborg Insitute. Dr Laura Ross is a genius. There are a lot of us around. We do a lot of police work, lab work in hospitals, a lot of service work for humanity."

"How did you get the job as chief medical examiner?"

"Lt. Cavanaugh put in an order. I was programmed specifically for this job, Jane."

"You're a machine in a human body." Jane knew what Alice in Wonderland felt like after falling down the rabbit hole.

"Yes. That's why I was dressed the way I was when we found you in the bathroom. I couldn't just walk back in as myself."

"Why not?" Jane couldn't get a grasp on the conversation yet couldn't help herself.

"Because of the gunshot wound. Korsak and Frost took me to the institute to get my arm patched up. Here, see?" Maura lifted her sleeve and Jane saw the gauze bandage.

"So Korsak and Frost know?"

"Yes but they found out solely by accident, Jane. Korsak knew first. He watched me levitate at the warehouse and of course I didn't have an answer for that."

"Of course," Jane repeated. She reached for her beer then thought better of it.

"Frost found out today. His reaction is similar to yours by the way."

"Uh huh."

"The nurse at the hospital wanted to take a chest x-ray before taking me up to surgery to remove the bullet. The machine kept showing wires, of course, since I'm a machine and she thought it was malfunctioning. I snuck out of the hospital and Korsak and Frost helped me."

"Because a patient with an unexplained GSW must wait for the police to take a report before they're allowed to leave."

"Exactly. See, Jane, you're following the conversation quite nicely."

"As long as any six foot rabbits don't suddenly show up, Maura, we're fine." Jane rubbed her face. She held up her hand as Maura opened her mouth. "Uh uh I can't explain it. Just go on."

"Very well. Laura patched me up and I wanted to see you, Jane. I was so worried." Maura reached over and stroked Jane's arm.

"You were unconscious, hanging from a long chain attached to a beam. Dehydrated, beaten, I was so afraid we weren't going to find you in time. I wanted to get back to the hospital and see how you were." Maura's eyes filled with tears.

"Frost said he'd help me with a disguise." Maura sat back triumphantly. She thought that went well.

"Am I all caught up?"

"Of course, Jane."

"I'm tired and my ribs are starting to ache. I think I'll turn in, Maura. We can continue this conversation in the morning." _Maybe I'll be thinking rationally, _she thought.

"Sweet dreams," Maura said brightly. She stood to clean up the beer bottles and her glass of wine.

Jane hoped hers didn't include martians, spaceships and Alice in Wonderland's tea party.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. I make no profit from their use and promise to bring them back when I am done playing with them. (If that time ever comes, that is). **

Chapter 15

Maura sat up in bed and glanced over at Jane's sleeping form. Maura didn't quite know what to make of their conversation the night before. She tried to explain herself to Jane who didn't seem to grasp the concept of being a cyborg.

_How do I make her understand? Shall I open my chest and show her the wires? _Somehow Maura didn't think that would work. Jane grumbled in her sleep and turned over, facing away from Maura. Maura took that opportunity to slip out of bed and go into her study. She checked the time, noticing it was late enough for Laura to be in her office.

Jane felt herself being pulled into waking but couldn't quite let go of her dream. She was chasing Alice with a mad teacup chasing her. Jane shook her head. _What the hell did I eat last night? I never dream anything this crazy,_ she thought. Opening her eyes she saw that Maura's side of the bed was empty. Last night's conversation came back to her and she instantly understood the significance of the Alice in Wonderland dream. Resolving to speak with Maura before taking any meds Jane gingerly climbed out of bed and went in search of Maura and a cup of coffee, not necessarily in that order.

Maura waited for the last of the coffee to drain into the pot before pouring herself a cup. Jane's favorite mug sat on the counter, waiting. Maura took a sip as she heard Jane padding down the hallway. Grabbing Jane's mug Maura poured Jane's coffee and held it out to her.

"Morning," Jane mumbled. She sat at the counter. Maura took a quick look at Jane's face but couldn't determine Jane's mood. She joined her without speaking.

"We need to talk," Jane said after half a cup of coffee went into her.

"Yes, and I wanted to tell you, Jane, I made an appointment for us at the institute. Dr. Ross wants to meet you. I told her what I said last night so she knows you know."

"I'm not awake enough for this conversation," Jane mumbled, holding her head in her hands.

"How much more awake do you need to be Jane? You're sitting at the kitchen counter with your coffee so I know you're not sleepwalking."

"I didn't take my meds this morning, Maura, so I could be sure I was clearheaded but I don't think I really am."

"Most people who put off taking their medicines Jane end up not taking them at all. You should take them at the same time everyday."

"Maura, did you tell me last night you're a cyborg?"

"You were listening, Jane," Maura said excitedly. "Yes, because I wanted to give you a hands up about my being different."

"The term is 'heads up' Maura and yes, you're socially awkward, I get that, I do. But a cyborg Maura? A machine in a human body? Is that what you told me last night?"

"Yes, Jane. I want a relationship with you. As much as it is possible for me to be in love with you, Jane, I am. But I wanted you to know what you're getting into."

"Kind of like making an informed decision?"

"Precisely. I know there are no guarantees in relationships, Jane, I read that in my love module but I wanted to give you as much information about me as possible."

"I have a headache," Jane said.

"Let me get you some acetaminophen. I have some here somewhere."

"Why do you have aspirin if you're not human?"

"Same reason I have alcohol available, for my guests, Jane. I wish to be a good hostess."

"I wish I didn't feel like I fell down the rabbit hole," Jane mumbled. "What time is our appointment at the institute?"

"In an hour."

"Am I allowed to ask any type of question?"

"Of course, Jane, I would never limit your access to knowledge. Knowledge is a great and wonderful thing to have and I want you to know everything about me." Jane stood and kissed Maura.

"One thing you'll learn about me, Maura, is please do not rattle on in the morning before my coffee takes effect. I'm going to take a shower. Please do not mutate into anything else until I get back."

"I cannot mutate, Jane, I am a cyborg," Maura said haughtily. Jane needed a lot of information, she knew. Cyborgs did not reduce themselves to mutation.

Jane found herself fidgeting once they were seated in Dr. Ross' office. Maura explained that while she could locate Laura anywhere in the building and frequently encountered the doctor in her lab Maura believed Jane might be more comfortable talking in an office. Jane agreed. The idea of speaking to a doctor about Maura being a cyborg while surrounded with surplus body parts freaked her out.

Maura reached over and took Jane's hand. While the gesture was comforting it didn't quell Jane's nervousness. Her leg began to jiggle.

"Jane I know you're not six years old. Calm down before I have to sit on you."

"I'm nervous."

"I noticed. You have nothing to be nervous about Jane; Dr. Ross is a lovely woman and quite brilliant."

_Yeah she created you, _Jane thought. She did her best to calm down, making a conscious effort to stop her leg.

Dr. Ross chose that moment to enter her office. Jane's eyes widened. If she didn't know any better Dr. Ross could have been Maura's almost-twin sister.

"Jane, it's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same, Dr. Ross."

"Call me Laura. So Maura told you she's a cyborg?"

"Yes. I thought she was pulling my leg."

"Why would I pull your leg, Jane?" Maura asked. "I just tried to get your leg to stop jiggling."

"It's an expression, Maura, referring to someone playing a joke on another," Laura interjected smoothly. She returned her attention to Jane.

"I can assure you, Jane, you've probably met other cyborgs in your line of work without knowing they weren't entirely human."

"But I'm not contemplating a relationship with them, Laura."

"True. Can you tell me if you have any special concerns, Jane?" Laura asked. Jane's fidgeting intensified. Laura suspected Jane was uncomfortable with Maura in the room.

"Maura, why don't you head down to the lab. We have some updated modules for you to upload."

Maura smiled and leaned over to kiss Jane. "I'll be back in awhile, Jane."

After Maura exited the room Jane immediately calmed down. "I have so many questions I don't know where to start."

"We've successfully created cyborgs for over twenty years Jane. I'm just the latest of many scientists to be intrigued by what cyborgs can do for the human race. Let me show you some of our success stories." Laura turned and picked up a large photo album from the bookshelf behind her. She flipped to the middle of the book.

"Several of our cyborgs have married, Jane." Laura stopped at an 8x10 picture of a man and woman holding two small children.

"Can you tell which is the cyborg?" Laura asked. Jane shook her head. Laura flipped to another picture, this one of two men with their arms entwined around each other.

"Our cyborgs tend to simulate human nature and behavior. Homosexuality is as common in cyborgs as in humans."

"Did you purposely make Maura gay?" Jane asked.

"No. The modules controlling love and human emotions are open-ended. We do not program them with any predisposition in any type of situation. The cyborg can become attracted to a human, whether it's of the same sex or opposite gender depends on the cyborg's decision."

"She was born this way?"

"Absolutely. As in humans, Jane, the genetic mix determines many things in a life, cyborg or human."

Jane stared off into space while she absorbed the information and gathered her thoughts. Laura waited patiently.

"I'm not a perfect person, Laura. I've never been successful in a long-term relationship. I love Maura more than I've ever loved anyone else in my lifetime. I don't want to hurt her."

"A relationship with Maura will be the same as having a relationship with another human, Jane. Maura is equipped with a complete line of emotions. She can react to any situation the same way another person might. The success of your relationship will be determined by your love and commitment for, and to, each other."

Jane opened her mouth to say something then closed it, barking out a laugh. She looked at Laura.

"I started to make a comment about having sex with a machine but thought better of it," she explained. Laura smiled.

"Your questions are not too far off the mark, Jane. Many others have had qualms about sex with a cyborg. Let me assure you, their response is identical to that of another person. Maura can and will respond to stimulation the same way you do."

"She won't kill me, will she?" Jane blurted out.

"Relax, Jane, we've only lost ninety-five percent of the people who've had sex with a cyborg," Laura said with a straight face then laughed as she noticed the look of panic cross Jane's.

"No, Jane, she won't. I think Maura may surprise you in many ways but death by sex isn't one of them."

"I can't think of any other questions, Laura."

"Good. Maura should be done uploading her new modules. Care to see the lab?"

"Is this the same as taking someone home to meet the family?" Jane asked. Laura laughed.

"Yes, in a way it is. Follow me."

After a tour of the lab Jane and Maura headed home. Jane reached over and took Maura's hand as she drove. They remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Jane pulled into Maura's driveway and kissed Maura's hand after shutting off the engine.

"Care for a glass of wine, doc?" Jane asked. Maura smiled and led Jane inside. They settled on the sofa, a beer in Jane's hand, a glass of wine in Maura's.

"Did you have a nice talk with Laura?" Maura asked.

"I did. She showed me the pictures of the other cyborgs, complete with families."

"Ah, yes, the family tree, so to speak. What did you think of it?"

"It was nice. I have to admit I couldn't tell the cyborgs from the humans."

"That's the idea, Jane."

"She answered all of my questions."

"Anything you wish to share with me?" Maura asked as she sipped her wine. She almost wanted to hold her breath in anticipation. Jane was an exquisite creature and Maura hoped one of these evenings might end with her getting Jane between the sheets. Maura mulled over that expression, it was a new one in the vocabulary module today. Laura was thorough, Maura knew. She wanted her cyborgs to be as up to date as any human might be.

"I asked if you were a lifesize vibrator," Jane asked drily.

"Like this?" Maura asked, setting her glass down on the coffee table. Her whole body began to vibrate slightly and she hummed.

"Maura!"

"No, Jane?" Maura asked innocently.

"You made a joke, didn't you?" Maura laughed.

"Yes. Jane I love you. I want a relationship with you and the possibility of our spending our lives together, with all that entails."

Jane sighed. She ran her hands through her hair then looked Maura in the eye.

"I'm not good with relationships, Maura. I explained that to Laura."

"She told you I'm capable of one?"

Jane nodded. "I told her I was the failure here, not you." Maura leaned over and took Jane's hand.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you weren't with the right person?"

"Sure. Right after I got over all the nasty remarks he made as he went out the door."

"I won't do that, Jane."

"There are no guarantees, Maura."

"Oh but there are with cyborgs, Jane. We outlast anything." Maura giggled.

"I don't want to hurt you. What happens to our friendship if this doesn't work out?"

"You have a fatalist attitude, Jane. What of the happiness we share when this does work out? Even your mother made a comment once about best friends making the best lovers."

At the word 'lovers' Jane's body heated. Maura noted the change in Jane's body language. She leaned forward.

"I think you want me as much as I want you." Maura kissed Jane. As Jane returned the kiss and deepened it she realized that her best friend was about to become her lover. She couldn't find a reason to object.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: R&I characters belong solely to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro and TNT. I make no profit from their use. One of these days I may even give them back. **

Chapter Sixteen

Jane rolled over when sunlight hit her eyes and caused her to awaken. She felt a lump in the bed next to her and realized Maura was there. She saw only the top of the golden head of hair; Maura was nestled under the covers. Jane raised the top of the covers.

Naked. Nude. They weren't wearing any clothes. Jane began to panic until she realized there was a very good reason they were unclothed. Maura made love to her last night, until the wee hours of the morning. Jane smiled. She reached out to engulf Maura in her arms.

Startled out of a deep sleep Maura sat upright. "Did I malfunction?" she asked.

"No, sweetheart, you hit it out of the park each time," Jane purred.

"Oh, you're here. Good morning Jane."

"Where did you expect me to be, Maura? I'm a limp rag after the workout you gave me."

Maura raised the covers. "You look very human to me, Jane. What's a limp rag?"

Jane laughed. "I forget you're so literal, Maur. It's just an expression. It means I'm so tired yet so fulfilled from last night I can't move."

Maura's face fell. "That's too bad. I was hoping to make love to you this morning before work."

Jane leaned over for a kiss. "Sounds good to me, Maura; let me get you started." She slipped her hand between Maura's legs. As she did their phones both rang.

"Shit. Work call," Jane said and grabbed her phone.

"Rizzoli. Yeah be there soon, Frost." Jane pulled the covers back. "Come on, I need to shower before we can leave. Want to take my car?"

The two women were silent on their ride back to the precinct from the crime scene. A seventeen-year-old schoolgirl had been found strangled in a vacant lot. Jane hated to see children die; each time she worked one of these cases she believed she lost a piece of herself.

Maura watched the scenery go by. She too was thinking of the schoolgirl but in a clinical sense. She was reviewing the steps to do an autopsy while preserving every bit of precious evidence. Although not a human, Maura understood Jane's feelings of loss when a child died.

Jane reached over and took Maura's hand. "I'm sorry our morning got cut short, Maura. Last night was unbelievable. When this case is closed shall we have a date night?"

"I'd love that, Jane. I'll get the evidence and reports to you as soon as possible." Jane parked in her usual spot. Maura slipped into the autopsy bay with a short wave to Jane. Jane stopped in the café for a cup of coffee before heading into the bullpen.

"Jane, where were you last night?" Angela called out. "I called to invite you to dinner but you didn't answer."

"I had plans, Ma."

"Have you met someone, Janie?" Angela asked. Jane rolled her eyes.

"No, she was with me, Mrs. Rizzoli. We spent the night together," Jane heard Maura say behind her. She whirled around.

"I thought you were starting the autopsy," Jane squeaked.

"I wanted to get some coffee and see you one last time. When you work a case, Jane, it's sometimes days before you get a break. Last night was unbelievable."

Jane stood there, her mouth gaping. "Maura, you're not supposed to say anything at work, that's _private_."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It was such a wonderful night, Jane, I couldn't get it out of my mind." Maura leaned forward to address Angela. "Your daughter is a fantastic lover, Mrs. Rizzoli."

Jane wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. The café went silent immediately. Jane spotted Crowe in the corner, putting coffee into his sugar. She saw the smirk on his face.

"Something you want to tell me, Jane?" her mother asked. Jane didn't respond.

"Rizzoli's got a girlfriend, Rizzoli's got a girlfriend," Crowe began to taunt. Frankie walked into the café at that moment.

"No I don't Crowe, what crap you got stuck between your ears this time?" he asked. Crowe laughed.

"Not you, Frankie, your sister. Jane spent the night being a fantastic lover to the Queen of Death," Crowe yelled out, laughing. Frankie pulled his arm back for a punch but Jane caught it.

"Not worth it, little bro," Jane managed to say and left the café. She sat down at her desk and stewed over Maura's indiscretion.

"You okay, Jane?" Frost looked up from his computer and noting the redness of Jane's face, asked.

"I'm fucking fine, Frost," she muttered through clenched teeth. Grabbing the thin file of their latest victim she reviewed the notes and waited for Maura's autopsy report. Unable to concentrate Jane headed for the morgue.

"Bone structure consist with a seventeen year old female, blond hair, green eyes. Dental reveals erosion of the back molars and slight discoloration of the front teeth," Maura was examining the victim and dictating at the same time when Jane entered. She looked up when she heard Jane's distinctive steps.

"Hi, love, come on in," Maura called out. Two lab assistants looked up, startled, then hastily put their heads back down as Jane glared at them.

"Maura, shut up," Jane hissed. "What we have, what we did last night, is private. You don't share that with anyone."

Maura reached up and put her arms around Jane's neck. She was zeroing in for a kiss when Jane yanked Maura's arms back down.

"Why not? Forty-three percent of women state they have to wait years for the level of sexual satisfaction we achieved last night, Jane, our first night together."

"You know what, Maura? It's one and done. If you can't respect my wishes and keep this between us I don't want to see you anymore. I am a homicide detective, Maura. You saw how Crowe responded to this, plus you told my mother in front of everyone that I'm a lesbian."

"I'm not ashamed of who I am, Jane. I don't think you should be ashamed of yourself, either. You're a beautiful woman, inside and out, and I am proud to be your lover." Jane glanced around and saw the lab assistants bunched in small groups, openly listening to their conversation.

"No, Maura, if you can't be discreet then I'm done. I'll send Frost down for the report later. Please don't call me." Jane turned on her heel and left.

Maura stood there, watching after the detective. For a cyborg unable to feel human emotions Maura felt like crying.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Maura walked inside her home, noticing how quiet it is. _Jane should be here, _she thought, feeling her heart seize at the thought of losing Jane forever. Maura kicked off her shoes, poured a glass of wine and settled on her sofa.

_What now? _ Jane was clear that morning that her relationship with Maura was no more. Maura felt wetness on her cheek and realized she was crying, just like a human.

Jane stomped into her apartment, kicking aside a discarded jacket on the floor and made her way into the kitchen. Grabbing a beer from the fridge she downed half of it in one gulp. She stomped into her bedroom and shed her work clothes for a tank top and pair of shorts. She grabbed the remote, turned on the television and tried to concentrate on the sports news.

No luck. She flipped channels, hoping a game would be on, something she could sink her teeth into to forget Maura.

_Maura. _Jane breathed in the name and her heart hammered in her chest. _Why the hell did Maura have to act that way? _The answer came almost simultaneously: because she is a cyborg and doesn't know any better.

A knock sounded on Jane's door, startling her out of her thoughts. Jane considered ignoring the knock, fearing it was Maura, but then Angela's voice came through.

"Janie? Open up, honey, I made you some osso bucco and a tiramisu." Jane jumped off the couch to admit her mother. Angela stood on the doorway barely able to balance the containers she held in her arms.

"Come in, Ma. Here, let me help you." Angela gave half of the containers to Jane and followed her into the kitchen. Turning from the refrigerator Angela gave Jane an appraising glance.

"You seem to be okay," Angela remarked.

"What does that mean, Ma?"

"You're doing okay."

"If you mean I'm sitting here on my couch, drowning my sorrows in beer and trying to find something on tv to take my mind off work today, then yeah, I'm great."

"Don't be disrespectful, Jane."

"Ma! Maura outed me in front of half of the precinct! I can just imagine what crap is going to be said tomorrow and the crude jokes I'll find on my desk."

"I doubt that. Korsak went through the precinct like a whirlwind and put the word out to everyone to leave you alone."

"Great," Jane said sarcastically.

"How's Maura?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"You mean you haven't talked to her since you dumped her in the morgue and stomped off?"

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, she was crying her eyes out in the women's bathroom down there. Everyone could hear her wailing."

"I could care less."

"Which means you care," Angela stated flatly. Jane looked at her mother but kept her silence.

"You don't care?" Jane hesitantly asked.

"Are you asking me if I care that you're a lesbian or in a relationship with Maura?"

"Both, Ma."

"She's a lovely girl, Jane."

"Ma, I'm more than a little surprised."

"Why? I've always wanted someone nice for you, Jane, someone that loves you and will take good care of you."

"Maura's a woman."

"Undeniably, Jane and so are you. If you think I'm going to flip out over a same sex relationship, Jane, the answer is no."

"How long have you known?"

"Since the day after you first kissed Antoinette Parry."

"Ma, that was third grade!"

"Yeah, but she was a nice girl, Jane. Oh what were you thinking I needed to wait for you to come out to me? Give it up, Jane. You've been playing sports and competing with Frankie for so long I almost started thinking I had three sons, not two."

"I guess I never was a girly girl."

"That's the understatement of the century, Jane. I told your father once that if you had been a boy you'd be the best player in the NBA."

Jane slumped on the sofa. So much had happened that day she couldn't keep up. She never fathomed that Angela knew she was attracted to girls and never really saw herself as settling down with a nice boy, as her mother frequently said.

"Another question, Ma. If you knew I liked girls why were you setting me up with men?"

"I wasn't sure you knew, Jane. I didn't want to freak you out if I arranged a blind date with Antoinette."

"Is she still single?"

"Not anymore. She's marrying Carla Talucci's oldest daughter." Jane spit out her beer.

"How's Carla taking that?"

"She nearly forced her youngest son into the priesthood over it, thinking she had to atone for Miranda, but she's come to accept it."

"I'll bet," Jane laughed. Angela reached over and squeezed Jane's knee.

"Go to Maura, make up with her. You're going to be miserable if you don't."

Jane sighed. "Give me a little time, Ma."

"Not too much, I hear that young detective in vice has his eye on Maura."

"Ewww."

"Exactly."

After Angela left Jane kept thinking about Maura. Was what she did really that bad? Sure Jane knew she didn't like her personal life ripped open for her coworkers to examine at their leisure but did Jane hate Maura for doing it?

No. Jane grabbed her cellphone to call Maura just as it began to ring.

"Yeah, Frost?" Jane answered. She listened to Frost explain their latest case. Although Jane was supposed to be on desk duty Cavanaugh cleared her to examine the crime scene. Jane closed her phone and grabbed her keys. She'd have to talk to Maura later.

"White male, late fifties, found facedown in pool of fetid water," Maura was saying as Jane walked up. Out of fear of being chastised by Jane again, Maura didn't greet the detective or look at her. She felt Jane kneel down beside her.

"When we have a chance, Maura, we need to talk."

"Didn't you say everything you needed to say earlier, Jane? What more is there?" This time Maura looked directly at Jane and held her gaze.

"No, Maura, it isn't like that. I'm not angry. I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. And-and I also wanted to tell you I want to continue seeing you."

"Maybe I don't want to see you, Jane." Maura stood, motioning to her team. Ignoring Jane's shocked expression she made arrangements for the body to be moved to the morgue. Glancing at Jane but without speaking, Maura turned and left.

"That was cold," Frost said. Jane turned to him.

"You heard what she said?" she asked.

"Yeah. I think you have some major booty to kiss if you want to make up, Jane."

"I don't kiss booty, Frost. She lost me for good this time," Jane snapped and walked off in the opposite direction. Jane didn't let on she felt like breaking down and crying.

Maura walked into the morgue, confused as to why she didn't accept Jane's apology and make up. _The makeup sex should be fantastic, _she thought. _All those feelings used to make your lover vanquish those feelings of being apart…_Maura's thoughts trailed off. She sighed. _Time to go to work; I'll talk to Jane later and apologize._

Jane sat wearily down at her desk. Waiting for her computer she thought over Maura's reaction to her apology. Jane was confused. _Did Maura decide she wasn't worth pursuing? Did I disappoint her the other night?_ Jane thought she might have hit the nail on the head, so to speak. As a cyborg Maura wasn't used to be with humans. Maybe as a cyborg Maura didn't want to have to put up with Jane's human emotions. Suddenly angry at the thought she wasn't good enough for Maura, Jane focused her energy on the case at hand. Very few clues were found at the crime scene and until Maura completed the autopsy Jane was at a loss as to who wanted this man dead. Frost didn't even have an identity yet.

Two hours later Jane found herself looking for things to do, waiting for Maura's autopsy findings. Her desk was immaculate, all folders carefully filed away and the backlog of old reports completed and sent to Lt. Cavanaugh for his signature. Jane sat at her desk, thinking again of Maura's dismissal of her that morning.

"Dammit, I've had enough," she muttered and stood. Frost glanced up.

"Did you say something Jane?"

"I'm going downstairs to see Maura, Frost. We need to get this cleared up between us. If I'm not good enough for her then she needs to tell me to my face."

At the same time Maura completed her stitching, her mind not on the just completed autopsy but on Jane.

_I want her back. I'm going to go upstairs and apologize to Jane until she forgives me, _Maura thought. She peeled off her gloves and headed for the elevator.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Sue not, fair ones…**

Chapter Eighteen

Jane burst through the morgue doors but didn't see Maura. "Maura!" she called out.

"Sorry, Detective, she went upstairs for a minute," one of the lab techs volunteered. Jane whirled around and headed for the stairs.

Maura's heels clicked in a very determined manner as she went into the bullpen. Jane's desk was empty. Glancing around she didn't see the tall brunette anywhere.

"She's downstairs, Doc," Frost looked up from his monitor and volunteered.

"Thanks, Barry," Maura said as she returned to the elevator.

Jane stopped at the base of the stairs and turned around. Reaching around she pushed the button for the elevator, wanting to check to see if Maura was on it. The elevator doors opened to reveal an empty cabin. Jane then took the stairs two at a time.

Maura walked to the elevator and pushed the button. The doors opened and she started to step over the threshold when a hand grabbed her.

"Gotcha," Jane said.

"I came up to see you Jane," Maura said.

"Yeah at the same time I went downstairs to see you." Maura opened her mouth to say more but closed it, afraid to say the wrong thing.

"Did you need something, Detective?" Maura asked, her resolve weakening.

Jane wanted to tell Maura everything in her heart but couldn't find the words.

"Do you have the completed autopsy report, Dr. Isles?" she said instead.

Maura's face fell. Convinced that Jane only wanted a working relationship and nothing more she resolved to at least be competent in her position.

"I'll have it sent up in an hour." Maura re-entered the elevator and pushed the button for the morgue, half hoping Jane might join her at the last moment, but nothing further happened. The doors closed and Maura returned to her workspace.

Jane stood there, rooted to the spot, angrier with herself than she ever had been. _Why the hell did I chicken out? I want to tell Maura how I feel about her! Make her love me, or at least know I did everything to keep her in my life. I want her, dammit! _

"Go after her, Jane. I don't think she was up here to ask if you needed a report," Korsak volunteered.

"You know what's in my head now, Korsak?" Jane asked sarcastically.

"When you're standing there like you've just lost your friend and lover, yes, I can. I've seen that face before."

"When, Korsak?" Frost asked.

"On my own face before each and every one of my three weddings," Korsak answered. He watched Jane sympathetically.

"We know how you feel about Maura, Jane. There's no shame in admitting when you love someone."

Jane nodded mutely and resolutely headed for the stairwell.

Maura went straight to her office, shut the door and locked it. Sitting at her desk with her head in her hands she didn't know what to think or do.

_I love Jane. I am in love with her. I want her in my life and not just at work. I went upstairs to tell her all this and to apologize for being nasty to her at the crime scene. Why didn't I do that? Even if Jane rejects me, I'll have spoken my mind. _Maura stood up with resolve and headed back to the elevator.

_Not again, _Jane thought as she scanned an almost empty morgue. She turned on her heels and went back upstairs.

Maura looked over Jane's empty desk once again. Frost was nowhere to be seen, either. Maura's heart sank as she realized the two were probably out interviewing witnesses in their latest case. She turned to head back down to the morgue when the stairwell door opened and Jane came into the bullpen.

"There you are!" Maura said.

Jane watched Maura's face light up when she saw Jane. Jane took a deep breath.

"Jane, I-" Maura started to say. Jane walked up to Maura, tipped Maura's face to hers and kissed her.

"Thank God," Korsak muttered at his desk. Frost rounded the corner at the same time and smiled. He winked at Korsak.

"Don't wink at me, Frost, I don't kiss guys," Korsak said.

"I don't kiss animal-loving guys who are permanently stuck in the 70s, Korsak, so don't get your panties in an uproar. I'm happy for the women."

"Be glad you said 'women' and not 'girls' Frost otherwise I'd have to permanently rearrange your face," Jane said when the two broke apart.

"Jane I'd never disrespect you, you know that. But thank God you two finally figured it out," Frost replied. Jane turned and grinned.

"Not anymore than I am," she said. Maura smiled and snuggled into Jane's embrace.

"So what do we do now?" she said.

"Unfortunately, your jobs, ladies," Cavanaugh interrupted. "Dispatch just got a call regarding a body found at the warehouse."

Jane stepped back from Maura but not before giving Maura a private smile.

"We can discuss this later, M. In great detail," Jane whispered in Maura's ear. Maura shivered then stepped back from Jane.

"Let me get my bag and I'll join you at the scene."

"No, let's ride together," Jane interjected and took Maura's arm. "Come on we can leave through the morgue so you can get your things."

The crime scene looked so typical, Jane thought, although no case was typical or was ever treated as such.

She crouched down next to Maura. "Anything?"

"I don't like to guess, Jane, you know that but this seems a lot like déjà vu."

"How so, Maura?"

"Same positioning of the body, the stab wounds in the same area of the body, just like that other twenty-something man I autopsied a few days ago."

"Either a serial killer of some sort or a bizarre ritual gone wrong," Jane commented, looking around the crime scene.

"Jane I'm going to walk the perimeter, see if I can find tire tracks," Frost said and left. Jane and Maura were alone.

Jane stood, extending the crime scene around the body. "Maura I'm checking out the rest of the warehouse. You'll be in my sight the whole time so don't worry."

"I don't, Jane, I know you'll protect me."

"Given your talents, Maura, you can protect me better than I can protect you but you know I'll never let anything happen to you." Maura smiled.

"Detective are you flirting with me over a dead body?" she purred.

"When else am I going to flirt with you, Maura? If this guy hadn't been discovered right now we'd be enjoying each other at home."

"Something to look forward to, Jane." Maura looked over at Jane just in time to see a figure run at the detective.

"Jane watch out!" Maura screamed. She pushed her heels off the concrete and rose in the air, speeding toward Jane. The figure raised his arm, Jane turned and raised her weapon. The figure fired first. Maura reached her hand out and grabbed the bullet. Jane fired and the figure fell.

Maura landed next to Jane, her glove smoking from the heat of the bullet. She opened her hand and showed it to Jane.

"You saved me again, Maura." Jane reached out and hugged Maura. Once again Maura snuggled into Jane's embrace.

"You save me all the time, Jane, in many ways," Maura said. She felt Jane's breathing slow. Jane's adrenalin surged when Maura screamed and in holding Maura felt a calm wash over her.

Frost ran back inside. Calling for an ambulance he noticed the figure on the floor was dead. He nodded to Maura.

"Good work, Maura. Those skills of yours are quite impressive."

Jane flashed a grin at Maura. "Yes, Maura, your skills are _very_ impressive. I hope to enjoy them more fully later on, at my place. I can properly thank you for saving my life." Maura smiled.

"I'm looking forward to it, Detective."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

This is the concluding chapter. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, I appreciate the comments. I hope you enjoyed this.

Chapter Nineteen

Jane ran downstairs and burst into the morgue. "We got him!" she called to Maura. Maura put down her scalpel and ran into Jane's arms.

"Thank God," she breathed. "I didn't want to have to save you one more time."

Jane tightened her grip on Maura. She leaned down for a quick kiss. "That reminds me, not that I forgot, but I want to show you my appreciation for saving me." Jane deepened the kiss. Maura put her arms around Jane's neck, tangling her hands in Jane's hair. As the kiss lingered Jane felt her pulse quicken and her arousal grow. Suddenly breaking off she grabbed Maura's hand.

"Come on, let's go." Maura hung back.

"Where are we going, Jane?" she asked coyly.

"My place, it's closer."

"The back bathroom is closest, Jane, and it's private." Jane shook her head.

"No, not good enough. I know it's not our first time together Maura, but I want you naked, in my bed, now. I want to take my time with you and show you how much I appreciate having you in my life."

Maura's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Isn't that my line, Jane? I love you. When I first started here I wasn't sure I'd have any friends, much less a lover."

Jane whirled around and crashed her lips on Maura's. "If you say 'lover' one more time we may have to use the floor, Maura. Let's go."

This time Maura allowed herself to be led away.

Jane stood in her bedroom doorway, suddenly shy. Maura's body was enveloped into hers. Maura looked up at Jane.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Suddenly I'm nervous and shy."

"Why? It's just me, Jane."

"I know, Maura, but you being a cyborg and all, I just don't know."

"You make love to me the same way, Jane, my parts are your parts. You know what I mean."

"I do. And for some reason, Maur, it scares me." Maura took Jane's hand and guided her to the bed. Jane sat on the side of her bed. Maura played with Jane's hair.

"Talk to me, Jane." Maura continued to stroke Jane's head and neck, watching the woman she loved. Maura waited patiently.

"I'm afraid I can't satisfy you," Jane cried out. "You're a cyborg, Maura, with endless stamina."

"Making love to me Jane is not only about my having an orgasm, although I think you've underrated your skills. You didn't have any problem the other night. To me, while it's the physical aspect of enjoying each other's bodies it's also about the love you show, the caring for your partner, wanting to please me. I also enjoyed our cuddling, Jane. You holding me in your arms tells me more than words just how much you love me."

Jane reached out and pulled Maura closer to her. She inhaled deeply. "I love you, Maura, more than you'll ever know."

Maura reached down and pulled Jane up to stand next to her. She gazed into her eyes and scanned Jane's beautiful face. "I don't know, Jane, I think I have a pretty good idea already." Maura smiled.

Jane leaned down and whispered in Maura's ear. "You're a little overdressed, you know that?" Jane unzipped Maura's dress and helped her step out of it. Picking it up off the floor Jane draped the discarded clothing on a nearby chair.

"I don't want it to wrinkle," she whispered.

"See Jane? It's little things like that, makes me love you even more. You know how much I hate a wrinkled dress."

Several hours later Jane woke, stretched a bit then resettled herself around Maura's still form. Raising the blanket she took another look at Maura's amazingly gorgeous body. She still couldn't believe the m.e. fell in love with her. Maura was an amazing person, beautiful both inside and out. Jane felt lucky to have her in her life.

Maura stirred then looked at Jane with a lazy smile. She reached out to pull Jane in close.

"Have I told you lately I love you?"

"Several times, if memory and sore muscles are correct." Maura smiled wider.

"Good. How about a morning quickie?" she asked. Jane laughed.

"Did you just say 'morning quickie', Maura?"

"I believe I did, Jane. Why, isn't that the correct expression?"

"Yes, it is. I-" Jane's words were cut off by her bedroom door being flung open and Angela walking in, muttering about how she spent the best years of her life picking up after an ungrateful husband. She had a load of Jane's dirty laundry in her arms.

Angela straightened up and noticed the women in bed. Trying to speak Angela worked her mouth but no words came out. She threw the laundry at Jane and walked out. Jane scrambled to grab her robe and put it on. Turning back to Maura she started to say something but Maura stopped her.

"Go, Jane, take care of your mother. I'll take a quick shower." Jane nodded and ran after Angela. She found her mother by the front door. Angela was looking for her car keys.

"I can't find them, dammit Jane! Where did I put my keys?" she yelled.

"Ma, come on. Have some coffee."

"I'm sorry, Janie, I didn't mean to walk in on you. Obviously I knew you and Maura were dating, I guess I didn't realize you'd progressed to sleeping together."

Jane didn't know what to say. She blushed. Angela sipped her coffee. She peered at Jane.

"Are you happy, Jane? Does she make you really happy?"

"Yeah, Ma she does," Jane blushed. "I think I've found the one person I can be happy with for the rest of my life."

"Thank God one of us will be happy. At least Maura won't run out on you somewhere down the road, after you've given her the best years of your life and three children. Wait, are you two going to make me a grandmother?"

"Probably not, Ma. There's something you don't know about Maura, Ma."

"Aw, Janie, don't tell me Maura can't have children."

"No, Ma, she can't."

"You can."

"Uh, I hadn't thought about it, Ma."

"You just need a sperm donor, Jane. Lots of lesbians have children this way."

"Yeah, Ma, I know. I just, it's just, well," Jane stammered as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Let me say this, Ma. I'm a detective and if I get pregnant they'll put me on desk duty. It will derail my career. Maybe you should look to Frankie and Tommy for grandchildren."

"But they're not dating anyone, Jane, you are."

"Yes, well, there is still something I need to tell you about Maura, Ma."

"What is it? She's a doctor, beautiful and extremely intelligent. What more could there be?" Angela asked. Jane took a deep breath.

"MaMaura'sacyborg," she said in one breath.

"Maura's a what? A CPA? How can she be an accountant, Jane, she's a medical doctor."

"No, Ma, Maura is a cyborg." Jane watched her mother's face for a moment.

"Oh, you mean like from the Institute?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, Ma, are you okay with this?"

"Sure, honey, cyborgs make excellent partners and parents," Angela said, stressing the last word. "How's the sex?"

Jane choked on her coffee. "Fine, Ma, and I am not having this conversation with you."

"I just want you to be happy, Jane, that's all."

"I am, Ma."

"Good, Jane. By the way, how do you satisfy her, I mean, with Maura being a machine and all?" Angela asked. Jane was afraid she'd die of asphyxiation, choking on her coffee. Maura spoke up.

"Everything's fine in that department, Angela. I couldn't ask for a better partner."

Angela beamed from one to the other. "Fantastic. Maura I was asking Jane about children. I want to be a grandmother soon."

Jane rolled her eyes. Would Angela ever quit with the grandchildren thing?

The End


End file.
